General very special relativity is Finsler geometry Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • We ask whether Cohen and Glashow's very special relativity model for Lorentz violation might be modified, perhaps by quantum corrections, possibly producing a curved space-time with a cosmological constant. We show that its symmetry group ISIM(2) does admit a 2-parameter family of continuous deformations, but none of these give rise to noncommutative translations analogous to those of the de Sitter deformation of the Poincaré group: space-time remains flat. Only a 1-parameter family DISIMb(2) of deformations of SIM(2) is physically acceptable. Since this could arise through quantum corrections, its implications for tests of Lorentz violations via the Cohen-Glashow proposal should be taken into account. The Lorentz-violating point-particle action invariant under DISIMb(2) is of Finsler type, for which the line element is homogeneous of degree 1 in displacements, but anisotropic. We derive DISIMb(2)-invariant wave equations for particles of spins 0, 12, and 1. The experimental bound, |b|<10-26, raises the question "Why is the dimensionless constant b so small in very special relativity?" © 2007 The American Physical Society.

published proceedings

  • Physical Review D

author list (cited authors)

  • Gibbons, G. W., Gomis, J., & Pope, C. N

citation count

  • 175

complete list of authors

  • Gibbons, GW||Gomis, Joaquim||Pope, CN

publication date

  • October 2007