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(mathematics, physics) A solution to the imaginary time nonlinear field equation of Yang-Mills theory; carries information about quantum tunnelling.

The dx1⊗σ3 coefficient of a BPST instanton on the (x1,x2)-slice of R4 where σ3 is the third Pauli matrix (top left). The dx2⊗σ3 coefficient (top right). These coefficients determine the restriction of the BPST instanton A with g=2,ρ=1,z=0 to this slice. The corresponding field strength centered around z=0 (bottom left). A visual representation of the field strength of a BPST instanton with center z on the compactification S4 of R4 (bottom right). The BPST instanton is a classical instanton solution to the Yang–Mills equations on R4.