Quantum Anomalous Energy Effects on the Nucleon Mass

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum anomalous energy (QAE) that contributes to the nucleon mass, demonstrating its effects in QED and a toy model, and explaining its role in confinement and mass generation.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of quantum anomalous energy as a key factor in nucleon mass, linking it to scale symmetry breaking and Higgs-like mechanisms.

Findings

QAE contributes non-perturbatively to nucleon mass.

QAE influences the energy scale and confinement within the nucleon.

QAE acts as a negative pressure aiding quark confinement.

Abstract

Apart from the quark and gluon kinetic and potential energies, the nucleon mass includes a novel energy of pure quantum origin resulting from anomalous breaking of scale symmetry. We demonstrate the effects of this quantum anomalous energy (QAE) in QED, as well as in a toy 1+1 dimensional non-linear sigma model where it contributes non-perturbatively, in a way resembling the Higgs mechanism for the masses of matter particles in electro-weak theory. The QAE contribution to the nucleon mass can be explained using a similar mechanism, in terms of a dynamical response of the gluonic scalar field through Higgs-like couplings between the nucleon and scalar resonances. In addition, the QAE sets the scale for other energies in the nucleon through a relativistic virial theorem, and contributes a negative pressure to confine the colored quarks.