Why do mesons use real phases while W bosons use imaginary phases?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
Sign up Log in
1 reply · 2K views
tzimie
Messages
256
Reaction score
27
Why mesons mixed states are defined as SOMETHING +/- SOMETHING [+/- SOMETHING] normalized by 1/sqrt(2) or 1/sqrt(3), So the sum uses quotient +1 or -1.

But in electroweak symmetry breaking charged W boson is defined as W1 (+/-) i*W2, so the quotient is +i or -i. So why mesons never use imaginary phase?
 

Discussion

mesons mix due to direct product of two ##SU(2)_f## or ##SU(3)_f## representation, while W boson mix is due to the sum of two pauli matrices ##\sigma_1## and ##\sigma_2##(which is Imaginary).

So the reason is they are generated by the defferent mechanism.