Gauge strata and particle generations

Abstract

Phenomenological evidence suggests the existence of non-trivial background fields in the QCD vacuum. On the other hand SU(3) gauge theory possessses three different classes of both non-generic and non-trivial strata that may be used as classical backgrounds. It is suggested that this three-fold multiplicity of non-trivial vacua may be related to the existence of particle generations, which would then find an explanation in the framework of the standard model.