We calculate order $\alpha_s$ color magnetic corrections to the valence quark distributions of the proton using the Los Alamos Model Potential wavefunctions. The spin-spin interaction breaks the model SU(4) symmetry, providing a natural mechanism for the difference between the up and down distributions. For a value of $\alpha_s$ sufficient to produce the $N-\Delta$ mass splitting, we find up and down quark distributions in reasonable agreement with experiment.
Categories: nucl-th