Isotons

Isotons are a hypothetical class of gauge bosons proposed to mediate interactions associated with an abstract isotopic symmetry, analogous to photons mediating electromagnetism. In some theoretical discussions, isotons would arise as gauge bosons of a local SU(2) isotopic symmetry and would exist in charged states, typically labeled neutral, positive, and negative isotons. They would couple to fermions carrying an isospin quantum number and could enable transitions between states of different isospin, in a way reminiscent of how W bosons enable certain transitions in the weak interaction.

Mass and range of interaction would be determined by a symmetry-breaking mechanism: a massless isoton would generate a long-range isotopic force, while a massive isoton would produce a short-range interaction. The coupling strength and mass scale would influence how such particles might be detected and what experimental constraints would apply.

Status and context show that isotons are not part of the established Standard Model. They appear in some toy models or speculative beyond-Standard-Model frameworks used to explore isotopic symmetries or gauge theories. There is no experimental evidence for isotons, and they remain a theoretical construct rather than an established component of particle physics.

If they were realized in nature, isotons could have implications for nuclear structure, particle decays, and the pattern of transitions governed by isospin-like symmetries. Their existence would require new experimental probes and could influence broader discussions about how symmetries and gauge sectors are organized in quantum field theory.

See also: Isospin, Isospin symmetry, Gauge boson, SU(2) gauge theories, Beyond the Standard Model.