Static Three-Body Potential in Baryons

The first principle of quantum chromodynamics is used to calculate the static perturbative three-body potential between three valence quarks in baryons, which is gauge invariant and flavor-dependent, and of magnitude of the same order as the next non-leading static q-q potential. Its effect on an S-state baryon composed of three valence quarks of equal mass may be viewed as a slight increase of the constituent quark masses with respect to those in mesons.