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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/124282
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation of the generalized Dirac Hamiltonian in a gravitational-wave background |
Author: | Quach, J.Q. |
Citation: | Physical Review D: Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 2015; 92(8):084047-1-084047-5 |
Publisher: | American Physical Society |
Issue Date: | 2015 |
ISSN: | 1550-7998 1550-2368 |
Statement of Responsibility: | James Q. Quach |
Abstract: | Goncalves et al. [Phys. Rev. D 75, 124023 (2007)] derived a nonrelativistic limit of the generalized Dirac Hamiltonian in the presence of a gravitational wave, using the exact Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. This gave rise to the intriguing notion that spin precession may occur even in the absence of a magnetic field. We argue that this effect is not physical as it is the result of a gauge-variant term that was an artifact of a flawed application of the exact Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. In this paper we derive the correct nonrelativistic limit of the generalized Dirac Hamiltonian in the presence of a gravitational wave, using both the exact and standard Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. We show that both transformations consistently produce a Hamiltonian where all terms are gauge invariant. Unfortunately however, we also show that this means the novel spin-precession effect does not exist. |
Description: | Published 21 October 2015 |
Rights: | © 2015 American Physical Society |
DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevD.92.084047 |
Published version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.92.084047 |
Appears in Collections: | Aurora harvest 8 Physics publications |
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