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Theoretical physics

Quarks fuse to release energy

Nature volume 551, pages 40–41 (2017)Cite this article

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In nuclear fusion, energy is produced by the rearrangement of protons and neutrons. The discovery of an analogue of this process involving particles called quarks has implications for both nuclear and particle physics. See Letter p.89

Stars are powered by nuclear fusion, in which two or more atomic nuclei have a close encounter and form one or more different nuclei1. A key aspect of nuclear fusion is that the rearrangement of protons and neutrons between initial- and final-state nuclei releases energy. Protons and neutrons are made of elementary particles called quarks, and a long-standing question has been whether systems of quarks can undergo a reaction similar to nuclear fusion. On page 89, Karliner and Rosner2 identify such a process and, in doing so, predict the existence of a tetraquark — an exotic particle comprising four quarks.

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Figure 1: A quark-level analogue of nuclear fusion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195-1560, Washington, USA

    Gerald A. Miller

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  1. Gerald A. Miller
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Correspondence to Gerald A. Miller.

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Miller, G. Quarks fuse to release energy. Nature 551, 40–41 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/551040a

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