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A new model of the higher symmetry of elementary particles is introduced
ln which the eight known baryons are treated as a supermultiplet, degenerate in
the limit of unitary symmetry but split into isotopic spin multiplets by a
symmetry-breaking term. The symmetry violation is sscribed phenomenologically to
the mass differences. The baryons correspond to an eight-dimensional
irreducible representation of the unitary group. The pion and K meson fit into a
similar set of eight particles along with a predicted pseudoscalar meson X/sup o/
having I = 0. A ninth vector meson coupled to the baryon current can be
accomodated natarally in the scheme. It is predicted that the eight baryons
should all have the same spin and parity and that pseudoscalar and vector mesons
should form octets with possible additional singlets. The mathematics of the
unitary group is described by considering three fictitious leptons, nu , e/sup -/
, and mu /sup -/, which may throw light on the structure of weak interactions.
(D. L.C.)
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