Chromoelectric-flux-tube model of particle production

Abstract

Quark confinement is assumed to be implemented by the generation of chromoelectric flux tubes with uniform energy density. Approximate formulas for the production of quark pairs in these tubes by tunneling are derived and various observable implications are studied. The non-Abelian nature of the SU(3) color group is taken partially into account thus yielding a quantitative estimate for the baryons-to-mesons ratio. Reasonable agreement with experiment is obtained.