The quark model and b baryons

The recent observation at the Tevatron of Σb± (uub and ddb) baryons within 2 MeV of the predicted Σb-Λb splitting and of Ξb-(dsb) baryons at the Tevatron within a few mega electron volts (MeV) of predictions has provided strong confirmation for a theoretical approach based on modeling the color hyperfine interaction. The prediction of M(Ξb-) = 5790-5800 MeV is reviewed and similar methods used to predict the masses of the excited states Ξb′ and Ξb∗. The main source of uncertainty is the method used to estimate the mass difference mb-mc from known hadrons. We verify that corrections due to the details of the interquark potential and to Ξb-Ξb′ mixing are small. For S-wave qqb states we predict M(Ωb)=6052.1±5.6MeV,M(Ωb∗)=6082.8±5.6MeV, and M(Ξb0)=5786.7±3.0MeV. For states with one unit of orbital angular momentum between the b quark and the two light quarks we predict M(Λb[3/2])=5929±2MeV,M(Λb[3/2])=5940±2MeV,M(Ξb[1/2])=6106±4MeV, and M(Ξb[3/2])=6115±4MeV. Results are compared with those of other recent approaches.