CAN THE SU(3) CHIRAL QUARK SOLITON MODEL DESCRIBE THE NUCLEON PROPERTIES BETTER THAN THE SU(2) MODEL

A comparative analysis of the pi N sigma term is carried out within th e flavor SU(2) as well as the SU(3) versions of the chiral quark solit on model. The validity of the latter model relies upon the approximate degeneracy of the strange and nonstrange quark masses, since its basi c dynamical assumption, i.e., the SU(3) symmetric collective quantizat ion and the subsequent perturbative treatment of the strange quark mas s, is justified only on such a condition. We argue that a relatively l arge admixture of the s (s) over bar component in the nucleon is a cha racteristic feature of this SU(3) symmetric rotation, but it simultane ously predicts a considerably small pi N sigma term as compared with t he prediction of the SU(2) model, which is interpreted as indicating a Limitation of the SU(3) collective coordinate approach to the physics of the strangeness content of the nucleon.