New research expands our knowledge of subatomic particle physics and the strong force by revealing the existence of the tetraquark, which consists of beauty and charm quarks.

Exploring the complex field of subatomic particles, researchers from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) recently published a new discovery in the journal. Physical Examination Letters. Their research illuminates a new horizon in quantum chromodynamics (QCD), sheds light on exotic subatomic particles, and pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the strong force.

The mysterious powerful power and world of hadrons

At the center of this research is a mysterious, powerful fundamental force that accounts for nearly all the mass of visible matter in the universe. A few elementary particles, known as quarks, engage in intriguing interactions through the exchange of gluons, creating all the complex subatomic particles that eventually make up all the visible matter of our universe.

Central to this understanding is the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which governs the dynamics of strong interactions. QCD makes it possible to convert color-neutral combinations of quarks into subatomic particles, often called hadrons.

Traditionally hadrons are divided into two main categories: mesons, which consist of one quark and an antiquark, such as pions, and baryons, such as protons, which consist of three quarks. However, outside these categories there are particles with gluons, such as exotic hadrons and even globules, which contain four, five or six quarks.

But until recently the existence of these exotic hadrons remained largely unexplored territory for particle physicists. A series of experimental discoveries over the last fifteen years have shed light on this previously obscure field, revealing a rich spectrum of exotic hadrons that challenge conventional belief about the strong force and challenge our understanding of subatomic particles.

Discovery of tetraquarks: a new frontier in particle physics

Among these exotic hadrons are tetraquarks, which consist of four quarks (more precisely, two quarks and two antiquarks). They may exist in very compact forms, or as weakly bound molecules consisting of two mesons, or something else: their exact structure remains a mystery. They also observe the most common exotics, and many more are expected to be discovered in the future. Theoretical studies can help identify quarks by predicting their content and possible energy ranges.

In this latest article, Professor Neelmani Mathur from TIFR’s Department of Theoretical Physics and his PhD student Dr. Archana Radhakrishnan and Dr. from IMSc. M Padmanath predicted the existence of a new tetraquark. This new subatomic particle consists of beauty and charm quarks and two light antiquarks and belongs to a family called tetraquarks. T. _B.C : tetraquarks are beautiful and magical.

They used the calculation system of the Indian Gauge Lattice Theory Initiative (ILGTI) to perform this calculation. The formation of this particular tetraquark was investigated using the interaction between sub- and charm mesons. Using variational methods for different lattice spacings and valence light quark masses, this study investigated the eigenvalues ​​of the energy of meson systems interacting in finite volumes and concluded the existence of this tetraquark. Like the predicted particle, other tetraquarks with the same quark content but different spin and parity may also exist.

This prediction came at a fortuitous time, coinciding with the recent discovery of the tetraquark (T._cc), contains two charm quarks and two light antiquarks. There is therefore a distinct possibility that the newly predicted particle or a related variant may well be detected using similar experimental methodologies, given that the energy range and luminosities required for their production and detection are becoming increasingly accessible.

Moreover, the binding energy of the predicted particle exceeds that of any open tetraquark, and the binding weakens with increasing light quark mass; This points to the complex dynamics of strong interactions in different quark mass regimes and explains the intriguing properties of the strong force. especially the formation of hadrons with heavy quarks.

It also provides additional motivation to search for heavier exotic subatomic particles in next-generation experiments that can be used to decipher the strong force and unlock its full potential.