Limits on massless particles

Steven Weinberg, Edward Witten

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

448 Scopus citations

Abstract

We show that in all theories with a Lorentz-covariant energy-momentum tensor, such as all known renormalizable quantum field theories, composite as well as elementary massless particles with j 〉 1 are forbidden. Also, in all theories with a Lorentz-covariant conserved current, such as renormalizable theories with a symmetry that commutes with all local symmetries, there cannot exist composite or elementary particles with nonvanishing values of the corresponding charge and j 〉 1/2.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)59-62
Number of pages4
Journal"Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics"
Volume96
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1980
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Limits on massless particles'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this