Why We Exist: The Quark Pauli Principle and the Stability of the Atomic Nucleus with Gerry Miller

The problem of understanding the short-distance repulsion of the nucleon-nucleon force has existed since the field of nuclear physics began.  Such repulsion is necessary for nuclear stability. The hypothesis that the quark Pauli principle is responsible for that repulsion is examined.  First, plausibility arguments using experimental observations and theory are presented for the relevance of the quark Pauli principle. This is implemented using the unity limit of the quark phase-space density that provides a constraint equation  yielding a repulsive potential acting on nucleons.  Using this potential along with a relativistic Lagrangian that contains nucleons and scalar mesons to provide the necessary attraction leads to the saturation of (N=Z) infinite nuclear matter with values of the binding energy and density and compressibility in agreement with experimental observations.

This lecture was made possible by the William C. Ferguson fund.