Baryon quadrupole moment in the 1/N(c) expansion of QCD

The quadrupole moments of ground state baryons are discussed in the framework of the 1/N(c) expansion of QCD, where N(c) is the number of color charges. Theoretical expressions are first provided assuming an exact SU(3) flavor symmetry, and then the effects of symmetry breaking are accounted for to linear order. The rather scarce experimental information available does not allow a detailed comparison between theory and experiment, so the free parameters in the approach are not determined. Instead, some useful new relations among quadrupole moments, valid even in the presence of first-order symmetry breaking, are provided. The overall predictions of the 1/N(c) expansion are quite enlightening.