Quantum states of indefinite spins: From baryons to massive gravitino

Abstract

I review theory and phenomenology of (K/2,K/2)*[(1/2,0)+(0,1/2)] states. First I make the case that the observed nucleon and Delta (1232) excitations (up to Delta(1600)) are exhausted by unconstrained (K/2,K/2)*[(1/2,0)+(0,1/2)] states with K=1,3, and 5, which originate from rotational and vibrational excitations of an underlying quark--diquark configuration. Second, I consider the simplest case of K=1 and show that the \gamma^\mu\psi_\mu =0 constraint of the Rarita-Schwinger framework is a short-hand of: - 1/3 (1/m^2 W^2 +3/4)\psi_\mu = \psi_\mu, the covariant definition of the unique invariant subspace of the squared Pauli-Lubanski vector, W^2, that is a parity singlet and of highest spin-3/2 at rest. I suggest to work in the 16 dimensional vector spinor space \Psi= A *\psi rather than keeping Lorentz and spinor indices separated and show that the above second order equation guarantees the covariant description of a has-been spin-3/2 states at rest without invoking further supplementary conditions. In gauging the latter equation minimally and, in calculating the determinant, one obtains a pathology-free energy-momentum dispersion relation, thus avoiding the classical Velo-Zwanziger problem of imaginary energies in the presence of an external electromagnetic field.