We investigate how large baryon densities (and possibly high temperatures) may induce spontaneous parity violation in the composite meson sector of vector-like gauge theory (presumably QCD or techni-QCD). The analysis at intermediate energy scales is done by using an extended σ-model lagrangian that includes two scalar and two pseudoscalar multiplets and fulfills low-energy constraints for vector-like gauge theories. We elaborate on a novel mechanism of parity breaking based on the interplay between lightest and heavier meson condensates, which therefore cannot be realized in the simplest σ model. The results are relevant for idealized homogeneous and infinite nuclear (quark or techniquark) matter where the influence of the density can be examined with the help of a constant chemical potential. The model is able to describe satisfactorily the firstorder phase transition to stable nuclear matter, and it predicts a second-order phase transition to a state where parity is spontaneously broken. We argue that the
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-23
JournalEuropean Physical Journal C
Volume74
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

    Research areas

  • Spontaneous parity violation, extreme conditions, effective lagrangian, strong interactions, heavy ion collisions

ID: 7017586