π−Condensate in Dense Nuclear Matter

Sawyer has proposed a variational ground state for superdense nuclear matter which contains a coherent admixture of approximately equal numbers of protons, neutrons, and ${\pi }^{-}$ particles. Here we investigate this problem by introducing a self-consistent mean ${\pi }^{-}$ field. We find that at a critical baryon density the normal ground state becomes unstable with respect to the formation of an infinitesimal ${\pi }^{-}$ condensate.