It is hard to learn how gravity and electromagnetism couple

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.82.064022· OSTI ID:21421164

Yizen, Chu; Jacobs, David M; Yifung, Ng; Starkman, Glenn D ^[1]

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1. CERCA, Physics Department, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7079 (United States)

We construct the most general effective Lagrangian coupling gravity and electromagnetism up to mass dimension 6 by enumerating all possible nonminimal coupling terms respecting both diffeomorphism and gauge invariance. In all, there are only two unique terms after field redefinitions: one is known to arise from loop effects in QED, while the other is a parity-violating term which may be generated by weak interactions within the standard model of particle physics. We show that neither the cosmological propagation of light nor, contrary to earlier claims, solar system tests of general relativity are useful probes of these terms. These nonminimal couplings of gravity and electromagnetism may remain a mystery for the foreseeable future.

• OSTI ID: 21421164
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 82, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.82.064022; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COUPLING
ELECTROMAGNETISM
GAUGE INVARIANCE
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
GRAVITATION
LAGRANGIAN FUNCTION
MASS
PARITY
PARTICLES
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
SOLAR SYSTEM
STANDARD MODEL
WEAK INTERACTIONS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
GRAND UNIFIED THEORY
INTERACTIONS
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
MAGNETISM
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PARTICLE MODELS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
RELATIVITY THEORY
UNIFIED GAUGE MODELS