On Higher Spins

Part I
Augusto SAGNOTTI
Universita’ di Roma “Tor Vergata”

(Based on: Francia, AS, hep-th/0207002, hep-th/0212185)

Modern Trends in String Theory II

Porto, June 21-26 2004
 Summary

„ Part I:
„ From Fierz-Pauli to Fronsdal
„ Free (non-local) geometric equations
„ Part II:
„ Triplets and (local) compensator form
„ Links with the Vasiliev equations

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 Fierz-Pauli conditions: Bose
(Fierz, Pauli, 1939)

ƒ Spin-s boson of mass m:

ƒ Correct degrees of freedom:

ƒ Only (traceless) spatial components

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 Fierz-Pauli conditions: Fermi
(Fierz, Pauli, 1939)

ƒ Spin-s fermion of mass m:

ƒ Correct degrees of freedom, with:

ƒ Only (γ traceless) spatial components

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 Massive case: spin 2
ƒ Spin 1: (Singh, Hagen, 1974)

ƒ Gives Proca equation:

ƒ For spin 2 try (Φ traceless):

ƒ Does not give the correct Fierz-Pauli conditions

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 Massive case: spin 2

ƒ Can still take the divergence:

ƒ Take α=2
ƒ Impose

ƒ Add a Lagrange multiplier:

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 Massive case: spin 2

ƒ 2x2 homogeneous system:

ƒ determinant algebraic if:

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 Massless case: spin 2
(Fronsdal, 1978)
ƒ Not surprisingly: gauge symmetry as MÆ0

ƒ The equations become:

ƒ gauge invariant under:

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 Massless case: spin 2
ƒ In terms of a traceful spin 2:

ƒ Fronsdal eq:

ƒ Fronsdal action:

ƒ Actually gives:

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 Kaluza-Klein mass
ƒ Masses can be (re)generated by K-K reductions:

ƒ Spin 1:

ƒ Upon D+1 Æ D reduction :

ƒ Stueckelberg symmetry

ƒ For spin 2:

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 Kaluza-Klein mass: spin s
ƒ Can also extend K-K construction to spin-s case
(Stueckelberg gauge symmetries)

ƒ [ (s-3)- parameter missing due to trace condition]

ƒ [(s-4)-field missing due to double trace condition]

ƒ Gauge fixing the Stueckelberg symmetries one is left with:

ƒ In terms of traceless tensors Æ Singh-Hagen fields

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 Fronsdal equation: spin 3
(Fronsdal, 1978)

ƒ Not a Lagrangian equation

ƒ Bianchi identity:

ƒ Lagrangian actually yields:

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 Symmetric calculus
(Francia, AS, 2002)
ƒ For all spins, one can eliminate all indices
ƒ Need only some unfamiliar combinatoric rules

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 Fronsdal equations: spin s
(Fronsdal, 1978)

ƒ We have seen that gauge invariance requires:

ƒ We can also derive the Bianchi identity:

identity

3 3
− ∂ ϕ ''
2
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 Fronsdal equations: spin s

ƒ Fronsdal construction:

ƒ Constraints:

ƒ Lagrangians:

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 Massless case: spin 3/2
ƒ Rarita-Schwinger equation: familiar from supergravity

ƒ gauge invariant under:

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 Massless case: spin 5/2
(Fradkin, 1950’s)
(Fang,Fronsdal, 1978)
ƒ Try to repeat for spin-5/2:

ƒ Does not quite work:

ƒ BUT: can again constrain the gauge parameter!

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 Massless case: spin s +1/2
ƒ Can extend to all ½-integer spins:

ƒ Bianchi identity:

ƒ Additional constraint:

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Kaluza-Klein mass: spin-(s +1/2)
ƒ Can also extend K-K construction to spin-s case
(Stueckelberg gauge symmetries)

ƒ [ (s-2)- parameter missing due to γ-trace condition]

ƒ [(s-3)-field missing due to triple γ-trace condition]

ƒ Gauge fixing the Stueckelberg symmetries one is left with:

ƒ In terms of γ-traceless tensors Æ Singh-Hagen fields

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 No constraints: spin-3
(Francia and AS, 2002)

 ∂1∂ 2 ∂ 3 
δ F123 = 3 ∂1∂ 2 ∂ 3 Λ ' → δ  2
∂ ⋅ F '  = 3 ∂1∂ 2∂ 3Λ '
 , 
A fully gauge invariant (non-local) equation:

∂1∂ 2 ∂ 3
F123 = 0 F123 − 2
∂⋅F ' = 0
,
Reduces to local Fronsdal form upon partial gauge fixing

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 Spin 3: more non-local eqs
Other equivalent forms:

1
F123 − ( ∂1∂ 2 F '3 + ∂ 2 ∂ 3 F '1 + ∂ 3∂1 F '2 ) = 0
3,

1
F123 − ( ∂1∂ ⋅ F23 + ∂ 2∂ ⋅ F31 + ∂ 3∂ ⋅ F12 ) = 0
3,

Lesson: full gauge invariance with non-local terms

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 Spin 3: non-local action
One can simply associate to the previous non-local
equation the non-local action

1 3 1 3
L = − ( ∂ µϕ123 ) + ( ∂ ⋅ ϕ12 ) − ( ∂ ⋅ ϕ ') + ( ∂ µϕ '1 )
2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2
1 1
+ 3ϕ '1 ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ϕ1 + 3 ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ϕ ∂ ⋅ ϕ ' − ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ϕ 2 ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ∂ ⋅ ϕ
, ,

fully invariant under

δϕ 123 = ∂ 1 Λ 23 + ∂ 2 Λ 31 + ∂ 3 Λ 12

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Kinetic operators (integer spin)

F (1) ≡ ,ϕ − ∂ ∂ ⋅ ϕ + ∂ 2ϕ ' = 0
Index-free notation:  ( p + q )! p + q 
 e. g . ∂ ∂ ≡ ∂ 
p q

 p! q! 
Now define:

1 ∂ 2 (n) 1 ∂
F ( n +1) = F ( n ) + F '− ∂ ⋅ F (n)
( n + 1)(2 n + 1) , n +1 ,

∂ 2 n +1 [ n ]
Then: δ F (n) = (2 n + 1) n −1 Λ
,
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Kinetic operators (integer spin)
1 µ1
Φ ( x,ξ ) = ξ ... ξ µ s ϕ µ 1 ... µ s
Defining: s!
∂
∂ξ =
∂ξ

 1 ∂2 1 ∂  (1)
∏k 1 + ( k + 1)(2 k + 1) , ∂ ξ ⋅ ∂ ξ − k + 1 , ∂ ξ ⋅ ∂  F (Φ ) = 0
 

• is the generic kinetic operator for higher spins

• when combined with traces can be reduced to

F =∂ H 3
(δ H = 3Λ ')
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Kinetic operators (integer spin)
The F(n):

• Are gauge invariant for n > [(s-1)/2]

• Satisfy the Bianchi identities
2 n +1
1  1  ∂
∂ ⋅ F (n) − ∂F ( n ) ' = −  1 +  n −1 ϕ [ n +1]

2n  2 n  ,

• For n> [(s-1)/2] allow Einstein-like operators

( − 1) p ( n − p )! p ( n )[ p ]
n −1
G (n) =∑ p
η F
p=0 2 n!

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 Higher-spin geometry
Christoffel connection:

δ hµν = ∂ µ εν + ∂ν ε µ µ
δ Γ = ∂ν ∂ ρ ε
νρ
µ

Generalizes to all symmetric tensors

(De Wit and Freedman, 1980)

Γ µ ;ν1ν 2 ⇒ Γ µ1 ...µ s−1 ;ν1 ...ν s

Rµ1µ2 ;ν1ν 2 ⇒ Rµ1 ...µ s ;ν1 ...ν s
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 Geometric equations
1. Odd spins (s=2n+1):

∂µ F µν
=0 1 [ n ] µ ; v1 ...vs
n
∂µ R =0
,

2. Even spins (s=2n):

1 [ n ] ; v1 ...vs
R µν
=0 n −1
R =0
,

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