Summary
We study a tensor spinor field of spin 3/2 minimally coupled to an external electromagnetic field. The formalism used is familiar, in the sense that only Dirac ψ-matrices are used. Two equations are constructed. The first one is a relatively simple new example of an equation with causal propagation; it is shown to lead to an indefinite-metric theory. The second one is closely related to the Rarita-Schwinger equation. It leads to a positive-definite Lorentz scalar product but has faster-than-light propagation of its solutions. The results agree with the conjecture that equations of spin 3/2 without defects cannot be obtained.
Riassunto
Si studia un campo tensoriale spinoriale con spin 3/2 con accoppiamento minimale ad un campo elettromagnetico esterno. Il formalismo usato è ben noto, nel senso che si usano solo matrici ψ di Dirac. Si costruiscono due equazioni. La prima è un nuovo esempio relativamente semplice di equazione con propagazione causale; si mostra che porta ad una teoria con metrica indefinita. La seconda è strettamente legata all'equazione di Rarita e Schwinger. Questa porta ad un prodotto scalare di Lorentz positivo definito ma le sue soluzioni hanno una propagazione più veloce della luce. I risultati sono in accordo con l'ipotesi che non si possono ottenere equazioni con spin 3/2 senza difetti.
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Labonté, G. A relatively simple equation for an antisymmetric tensor spinor field of spin 3/2. Nuov Cim A 59, 263–274 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02816663
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02816663