Covariant generalization of the Zitterbewegung of the electron and its SO(4,2) and SO(3,2) internal algebras

Journal Article · Fri Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.31.1386· OSTI ID:5922380

Barut, A O; Thacker, W

The internal geometry of the Dirac electron is studied in a proper-time formalism with ..gamma../sup 0/-Hermitian operators. We solve the Heisenberg equations, separate external and internal coordinates, and identify the SO(3,2) internal algebra as the projection of an SO(3,3) geometry to the hyperplane (perpendicular to the center-of-mass momentum) where the Zitterbewegung takes place. We also give covariant intrinsic-spin and magnetic-moment operators. The system can be generalized to a larger system with the internal geometry SO(4,2) with the inclusion of dynamical variables ..gamma../sup 5/ and i..gamma../sup 5/..gamma../sup ..mu../. The resultant internal algebras have higher-dimensional representations generalizing the Dirac electron to multifermion states.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309
• OSTI ID: 5922380
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. D; (United States) Vol. 31:6; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645201* -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Theoretical-- General & Scattering Theory
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DIRAC EQUATION
EIGENSTATES
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
FERMIONS
FUNCTIONS
HAMILTONIANS
LEPTONS
LIE GROUPS
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MASS
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
METRICS
MINKOWSKI SPACE
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
QUANTUM OPERATORS
REST MASS
SO GROUPS
SPACE
SPIN
SYMMETRY GROUPS
WAVE EQUATIONS
WAVE FUNCTIONS