Twisted scalar and spinor strings in Minkowski spacetime

Journal Article · Fri Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.21.949· OSTI ID:5660439

Ford, L H

The construction of twisted scalar and spinor field configurations in Minkowski space-time is described. Twisted field configurations are normally associated with a nonsimply connected space; however, it is shown that it is also possible to construct such configurations in a simply connected space. For each choice of a line in three-dimensional space there exists an inequivalent twisted scalar and spinor field configuration, referred to as strings. The vacuum expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor of such a quantized twisted field is calculated for the case of both scalar strings and spinor strings. It is found to be singular along the chosen line. The energy density off of this line is positive for scalar strings and negative for spinor strings. However, it is shown that the total energy of both types of strings is zero. Nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of these twisted field configurations is discussed, and the eigenfunctions and energy levels of a twisted particle in a Coulomb field are calculated.

• Research Organization: Department of Mathematics, University of London, King's College, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom
• OSTI ID: 5660439
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., D; (United States) Vol. 21:4; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645400* -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
COMPOSITE MODELS
COULOMB FIELD
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EIGENFUNCTIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EQUATIONS
EXPECTATION VALUE
EXTENDED PARTICLE MODEL
FUNCTIONS
KLEIN-GORDON EQUATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
MECHANICS
MINKOWSKI SPACE
PARTICLE MODELS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
QUARK MODEL
SCALAR FIELDS
SPACE
SPACE-TIME
SPINORS
STRING MODELS
VACUUM POLARIZATION
VACUUM STATES
WAVE EQUATIONS