Quantum Anomalous Energy Effects on the Nucleon Mass

Understand

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.