paper

Hadron Physics: The Essence of Matter

arXiv:1003.5006 · doi:10.1063/1.3622689

Abstract

Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking (DCSB) is a remarkably effective mass generating mechanism. It is also, amongst other things, the foundation for a successful application of chiral effective field theories, the origin of constituent-quark masses, and intimately connected with confinement in QCD. Using the Dyson-Schwinger equations (DSEs), we explain the origin and nature of DCSB, and elucidate some of its consequences, e.g.: a model-independent result for the pion susceptibility; the generation of a quark anomalous chromomagnetic moment, which may explain the longstanding puzzle of the a_1-rho mass splitting; its impact on the behaviour of the electromagnetic pion form factor -- thereby illustrating how data can be used to chart the momentum-dependence of the dressed-quark mass function; in the form of the pion and kaon valence-quark parton distribution functions, and the relation between them; and aspects of the neutron's electromagnetic form factors, in particular F_1^u/F_1^d and G_M^n. We argue that in solving QCD, a constructive feedback between theory and extant and forthcoming experiments will most rapidly enable constraints to be placed on the infrared behaviour of QCD's β-function, the nonperturbative quantity at the core of hadron physics; and emphasise throughout the role played by confrontation with data as a means of verifying our understanding of Nature.

24 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables. Contribution to the proceedings of the XII Mexican Workshop on Particles and Fields, based on presentations by C.D.Roberts at the Workshop (9-14 Nov. 2009, Mazatlan, Mexico) and at the preceding Mini-School (5-8 Nov. 2009, Culiacan, Mexico).

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