Using the framework of the chromodielectric model we perform an analysis of color electric flux tubes in mesonlike $q\overline{q}$ and baryonlike $qqq$ quark configurations. We discuss the Abelian color structure of the model and point out a symmetry in color space as a remnant of the SU(3) symmetry of QCD. The generic features of the model are discussed by varying the model parameters. We fix these parameters by reproducing the string tension $\tau =980\mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{f}\mathrm{m}$ and the transverse width $\rho =0.35\mathrm{f}\mathrm{m}$ of the $q\overline{q}$ flux tube obtained in lattice calculations. We use a bag constant $B^{1/4}=(240-260)\mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$, a glueball mass $m_g=(1000-1700)\mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$, and a strong coupling constant $C_F{\alpha }_s=0.2-0.3$. We show that the asymptotic string profile of an infinitely long flux tube is already reached for $q\overline{q}$ separations $R\ge 1.0\mathrm{f}\mathrm{m}$. A connection to the dual color superconductor is made by extracting a magnetic current from the model equations and a qualitative agreement between the two descriptions of confinement is shown. In the study of the $qqq$ system we observe a $\Delta$-like geometry for the color electric fields and a $\mathsf{Y}$-like geometry in the scalar fields both in the energy density distribution and in the corresponding potentials. The resulting total $qqq$ potential is described neither by the $\Delta$-picture nor by the $\mathsf{Y}$-picture alone.

• Received 20 July 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.70.116010