Minimal Strings for Baryons

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple string model for baryons, revealing that the relative lengths of the string arms are dynamical and that classical configurations with all arms intact are unstable, leading to arm collapse.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal string model for baryons showing dynamical arm lengths and classical instability, providing insights into baryon structure and stability.

Findings

Relative arm lengths are dynamical variables.

Classical configurations with all arms present are unstable.

Arms tend to collapse and cannot re-form after collapse.

Abstract

A simple model is discussed in which baryons are represented as pieces of open string connected at one common point. There are two surprises: one is that, in the conformal gauge, the relative lengths of the three arms cannot be kept constant, but are dynamical variables of the theory. The second surprise (as reported earlier by Sharov) is that, in the classical limit, the state with the three arms of length not equal to zero is unstable against collapse of one of the arms. After collapse, an arm cannot bounce back into existence. The implications of this finding are briefly discussed.