High School Quark/Gluon Ensemble In Hadron

[_PJ_]

I know the PF rules regarding using only peer reviewed texts, but in this case, it's the only source I have access to and I'm not trying to promote the content in any way, really I'm just trying to understand if it is actually saying what it seems to be.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1303.3752

Generally, all the (pop-science) texts I have read suggest that regular hadrons (such as Protons or Neutrons) are comprised simply of 3 quarks and the gluons that 'bind' (for want of a better word) them. I understand at least that there may be a high number of gluons (and generation of more through inputting energies these may result in the "string" qualities observed in some experiments).

I am curious, though as to if there is a consideration made in the paper that, with the colour charges balanced and all the available strong force from the gluons, there may be many other quark/antiquarks of colour combinations that effectively cancel out overall, leaving the same (UUD or DDU for example) 'excess'?

Is this 'correct'?

 

[_PJ_]

I suppose I am adhering to something analogous to the "dressing" of an 'eectron', whereby something like electrons and positrons as well as numerous photons between them surround THE electron.
That amongst THE UUD or DDU quarks, along with all the gluons, there might be some 'virtual' quarks or somesuch?
Forgive me if I'm not making any sense or way off the mark, but that's why I need to ask these questions to hopefully improve my understanding!

 

[nikkkom]

Yes, sea quarks were always considered when QCD was proposed - by then, physicists were well aware that corrections from virtual particles must be accounted for.

 

[_PJ_]

Thanks so much for the swift response!

 

[mfb]

As an example, most W and Z bosons produced at the LHC come from the fusion of a sea antiquark from one proton with a quark (sea or valence) from the other one.