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About new space-time symmetries in relativity and quantum mechanics

О новых симметриях пространства-времени в теории относительности и в квантовой механике

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Il Nuovo Cimento A (1971-1996)

Summary

Some consequences of the space-time symmetries previously studied within extended relativity are exploited, and that study is improved. In particular, it is shown that relativity requires antiparticles to be formally associated withnegative rest masses (but withpositive relativistic masses and energies, of course!). The physical and geometrical meaning ofchirality P 5 is derived, in such a context, and shown to be essentially connected with the inversion of afifth axis (axis related to the rest-mass). Infive dimensions, from the frame with all the (five) axes inverted, an observer woulde.g. describeantimatter exactly so as the initial (noninverted) observer would describematter, andvice versa. By applying what precedes to relativistic quantum mechanics (e.g. to fermion fields and Dirac equations), we get—among other things—a «strong \(\bar C\bar P\bar T\) theorem » (see the text): « Under inversion of all five axesx, y, z, t, m 0, not only physical laws (of mechanics and electromagnetism, at least) are covariant, but even physical fields are invariant ».

Riassunto

Si traggono alcune conseguenze dalle simmetrie spazio-temporali precedentemente studiate nell’ambito della relatività estesa, e si completa tale studio. In particolare si dimostra che la relatività richiede che le antiparticelle vengano formalmente associate a masse a riposonegative (ma, naturalmente, a masse relativistiche ed energiepositive!). In tale contesto, si deriva quindi il significato fisico e geometrico dellachiralità P 5 e si mostra che esso è essenzialmente connesso con l’inversione di unquinto asse (l’asse della massa a riposo).In cinque dimensioni, ad esempio, dal riferimento con tutti (i cinque) assi invertiti un osservatore descriverebbe l’antimateria esattamente come descriverebbe lamateria dal riferimento iniziale (non invertito), e vice versa. Applicando quanto sopra alla meccanica quantistica relativistica (per esempio ai campi fermionici e all’equazione di Dirac), otteniamo — tra l’altro — un « teorema \(\bar C\bar P\bar T\) forte » (vedere il testo): « Nell’inversione di tutti e cinque gli assix, y, z, t, m 0, non solo restano covarianti le leggi fisiche (della meccanica e dell’elettromagnetismo, almeno), ma sono invarianti i campi fisici stessi ».

Реэюме

Исследуются некоторые следствия симметрии пространства-времени, которые были раасмотрены ранее в обобшенной теории относительности. В частности, покаэывается, что теория относительности требует, чтобы античастицы были формально свяэаны сотрицательными массами покоя (но, конечно, с положительными релятивистскими массами и знергиями!). В зтом контексте определяется фиэический и геометрический смыслкиральности,P 5. Покаэывается, что фиэический смысл киральности, по сушеству, свяэан с инверсией вдольпятой оси (ось массы покоя). Впяти иэмерениях, в системе, где все (пять) осей инвертированы, наблюдатель описываетантивешество \(\bar C\bar P\bar T\)точно также, как исходный (неинвертированный) наблюдатель описывает вешество, и наоборот. Мы получаем «сильную ОРТ теорему » (см. текст): « При инверсии всех пяти осей ж, x, y, z, t, m, не только фиэические эаконы (по крайней мере, механики и злектромагнетиэма) являются ковариантными, но и фиэические поля являются инвариантными ».

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References

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Partially supported by CNR, under contract No. 75/00442.02, c/o Istituto di Fisica Teorica dell’Università, Catania, Italia.

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Recami, E., Ziino, G. About new space-time symmetries in relativity and quantum mechanics. Nuov Cim A 33, 205–215 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02734400

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