Some improvements in the theory of faster-than-light particles

Charles Schwartz
1982 Physical Review D, Particles and fields  
The relationship between di6'erentially conserved quantities (electric current density J~, stress tensor density T~", etc. ) and the conserved integral quantities Icharge Q, energy-momentum P, etc. ) is carefully studied for the case of faster-than-light particles. It is found that there is no problem of "negative-energy states" and no need for the "reinterpretation principle" used by previous authors. The central lesson learned is that the concept of "charge" or "momentum" or "energy" even for
more » ... a free particle should not be taken as separable from the concept of the particle moving "in" or "out" relative to some interaction. Mathematically it is just a matter of certain minus signs in otherwise familiar formulas, but it is essential to include these factors in order to get a relativistically consistent theory for tachyons. Basic application is made to the classical theory of point particles with electromagnetic interactions, the classical theory of a free field, and the quantum theory oF a free field. The earlier tachyon quantum theory of Feinberg is drastically revised. Pry vp~~o Op 1y 2y 3 zyg, =1, 2, 3, the velocity of light =1, x'=(x'=t, x'),
doi:10.1103/physrevd.25.356 fatcat:gjsn64o6anbvtjjzcmq6zf45bm