Pointy Nuclear Particles

Outline

Events that are highly symmetric combinations of at least sixteen Anaxagorean sensations are called nuclear events. Nuclear events are objectified as nuclear particles. They are modeled by bundles of quarks. Pions need just eight quarks, whereas the Higgs boson requires hundreds.

Nuclear events are highly but not perfectly symmetric, like the mollusk shells in this French engraving. — Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829), Terebra 402. Tableau Encyclopédique et Méthodique des Trois Règnes de la Nature, Paris 1791-1798. Photograph by D Dunlop.

Nuclear particles must be highly symmetric so that they are sturdy enough to be measured, but not exactly symmetric. A few small asymmetries are needed or else an event would be indistinct and nondescript. Most nuclear particles are objectified from slightly different numbers of opposing binary sensations so that they have an angular momentum quantum-number, baryon number, lepton number, charge and strangeness that are within two or three units of zero.

The way that these small asymmetries are balanced against each other determines a particle’s lifetime. The most durable nuclear particles are the proton and the electron, so they get lots of attention later. But next we go into more detail about other particle lifetimes.

Particle Lifetimes

Nuclear particles are typically identified by their mass and their quantum-numbers. But the lifespan of their existence is also a significant property that has been widely measured. Quarks are conserved but compound quarks may decay. Their permanence is characterized by a number called the mean-life. Let particle P be described by its thermodynamic temperature $T(\mathsf{K}).$ Then its mean life is defined as

$\tau \equiv k_{\tau} e^{-T}$

where $e$ notes the exponential function and $k_{\tau} \! = \mathsf{ 2.6 x 10 }^{\mathsf{56}}$ (s). The mean-life is used later to develop the notion of particle stability. If P is a hydrogen atom in its ground-state, then $T \! \simeq \! 0$ and $e^{0} \! \simeq \! 1 .$ So the constant $k_{\tau}$ is called the mean-life of hydrogen.

A particle with a negative temperature supposedly has a longer mean-life than hydrogen. But the only sub-zero particles that we consider here are not given space time descriptions. All EthnoPhysics models of observed particles have $T \! \ge \! 0 .$

Particle lifespans are also characterized by a number called the full width which is noted by $\varGamma$ and defined as

$\varGamma \equiv \dfrac{h}{2 \pi \tau}$

Now about conjugate twins; consider that the total number of any quark-type does not vary if ordinary-quarks and anti-quarks are exchanged. And with the assumption of conjugate symmetry both sorts have the same temperature. So particles and their conjugate twins must have the same lifespan

$\tau ( \mathsf{P} ) = \tau ( \overline{\mathsf{P}} )$

and

$\varGamma ( \mathsf{P} ) = \varGamma ( \overline{\mathsf{P}} )$

Finally, theoretical evaluations of the mean-life and the full-width have been compared with laboratory observations. More than 400 nuclear particles have been assessed. Currently, only two particles have a lifetime that is outside of experimental uncertainty. Our calculations for the full-width of the 𝞺(770)^± mesons give results that are low by 0.7%. This is the largest error in our analysis of nuclear particles.

Field Quarks and Core Quarks

A few of the quarks in some nuclear particle P may be paired with their corresponding anti-quarks. These $\mathsf{q \overline{q}}$ pairs are called field quanta, and most¹A few rotating field-quanta may be assigned to the core if needed to model its rotation. of these quarks are categorized as field quarks. They are presumably located in the field‑zone of the simple particle model which was discussed earlier.

But all field-quanta are ethereal. They have no mass. So it is the other quarks in P that determine its mass. These other quarks are generically called core quarks. And they are supposedly located in the core zone of P.

The core and field of particle P may be reckoned by their size. These quantities are called; the gross field energy written as $\mathtt{E} _{\, \mathsf{field}} \, ,$ and the gross core energy noted by $\mathtt{E} _{\, \mathsf{core}} \, .$

Quarks in both zones are described by their quark coefficients which are written as $n$ or as ${\Delta}n^{\mathsf{Z}} \! \equiv n^{\mathsf{\overline{z}}} - n^{\mathsf{z}} .$ So any interaction with a $\mathsf{q \overline{q}}$ pair will change $n ,$ but not $\Delta n .$ But many key particle characteristics are defined from $\Delta n$ rather than $n$ because asymmetries are required for a particle to be distinct. Thus variant particle-models can always be obtained by adding more $\mathsf{q \overline{q}}$ pairs to the field.

Because of this possibility, the classification of nuclear particles depends on determining the minimum number of quarks required to represent each category or familial grouping. So field-quarks are somewhat peripheral. And to sort out nuclear particles, most attention is put on the core-quarks.

Magnetic Characteristics

Nuclear particles have magnetic fields that are relevant for understanding their interactions. Here is a link to more detail about how these fields are related to rotating charges. The analysis leads to a sketch for making some experimentally testable predictions.

Magnetic Moments

Magnetic-susceptibility and induced-charge are defined. Magnetic moments for thirteen nuclear particles are assessed.

magnetic textile — Bidang, Iban people. Upper Rajang river, Sarawak 20th century, 98 x 49 cm. Pilih technique. Photograph by D Dunlop.

Organizing Nuclear Particles

Nuclear particle identities are primarily established by their quantum numbers. These chunky integers are definitive and precise. They are categorical. They are often conserved when particles are formed or decomposed. So they affect decay patterns, which in-turn influence the recognition of specific quanta. So here is an illustrated menu showing various families of nuclear particles grouped together by their quantum-numbers.

Nuclear Particle Classification

Nuclear particles are sorted into different family groups based on the minimum number of down-quarks in their core.

The second most significant characteristic for identifying a particle is its rest mass. And even though secondary, it is still exceptionally important. Indeed, for some achiral neutral mesons, the mass is almost their only distinguishing feature. In any case, the mass is not established categorically, it is determined by measurement. So experimental physicists have invested an enormous effort to measure the mass of nuclear particles. Their work surely ranks among the greatest scientific achievements of the last century. And so that is what we explore next.

Mass

The rest mass is defined. Calculations are compared with experimental observations. The center-of-mass is discussed.

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References
1	A few rotating field-quanta may be assigned to the core if needed to model its rotation.