We show that the Cohen-Glashow Very Special Relativity (VSR) theory [1] can be realized as the part of the Poincaré symmetry preserved on a noncommutative Moyal plane with light-like noncommutativity. Moreover, we show that the three subgroups relevant to the Cohen-Glashow VSR can also be realized in the noncommutative space-time setting. For all these three cases the noncommutativity parameter $θ^{μν}$ should be light-like ($θ^{μν}θ_{μν}=0$). A fixed constant noncommutativity parameter respects the T(2) subgroup of Lorentz, while for the E(2) and SIM(2) cases the form of noncommutativity among the coordinates should be of linear (Lie algebra) and quadratic (quantum group) type, respectively. We discuss some physical implications of this realization of the Cohen-Glashow VSR.
The Cohen-Glashow Very Special Relativity (VSR) algebra [arXiv:hep-ph/0601236] is defined as the part of the Lorentz algebra which upon addition of CP or T invariance enhances to the full Lorentz group, plus the space-time translations. We show that noncommutative space-time, in particular noncommutative Moyal plane, with light-like noncommutativity provides a robust mathematical setting for quantum field theories which are VSR invariant and hence set the stage for building VSR invariant particle physics models. In our setting the VSR invariant theories are specified with a single deformation …
In light of recent and probably upcoming observations of very high energy astroparticles, such as those reported by the IceCube collaboration, we readdress the energy loss mechanism by Lorentz violating particles. We analytically show that Cohen-Glashow's formula for energy loss is connected with a Poisson distribution for the number of decays, whose large fluctuations prevent placing bounds on Lorentz invariance violations. However, this model ignores the sharp change in the decay width after each process. We propose replacing Poisson statistics with a new distribution that takes this into ac…
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 spacetime 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 non-commutative translations analogous to those of the de Sitter deformation of the Poincaré group: spacetime remains flat. Only a 1-parameter family DISIM_b(2) of deformations of SIM(2) is physically acceptable. Since this could arise through quantum corrections…
Cohen and Glashow argued that very special conformal field theories of a particular kind (i.e. with HOM(2) or SIM(2) invariance) cannot be constructed within the framework of local field theories. We, however, show examples of local construction by using non-linear realization. We further construct linear realization from the topological twist at the cost of unitarity. To demonstrate the ubiquity of our idea, we also present corresponding holographic models.
In the Cohen-Glashow Very Special Relativity we exhibit possible modifications to the Maxwell theory and to the quantum electrodynamics Lagrangian in some generality, and discuss characteristic features depending on the modifications. Modified gauge transformations in SIM(2)-invariant theories are introduced, and in these theories gauge fields with two polarization states can have nonzero mass. Also considered are SIM(2)-covariant modifications to the Proca-type field equations for a massive spin-1 particle.
The effects of a non-vanishing value for the cosmological constant in the scenario of Lorentz symmetry breaking recently proposed by Cohen and Glashow (which they denote as Very Special Relativity) are explored and observable consequences are pointed out.
Cohen and Glashow introduced the notion of very special relativity as viable space-time symmetry of elementary particle physics. As a natural generalization of their idea, we study the subgroup of the conformal group, dubbed very special conformal symmetry, which is an extension of the very special relativity. We classify all of them and construct field theory examples as well as holographic realization of the very special conformal field theories.
The generalization of Cohen and Glashow's Very Special Relativity to curved space-times is considered. Gauging the SIM(2) symmetry does not, in general, provide the coupling to the gravitational background. However, locally SIM(2) invariant Lagrangians can always be constructed. For space-times with SIM(2) holonomy, they describe chiral fermions propagating freely as massive particles.
The theory of very special relativity (VSR) proposed by Cohen and Glashow contains an intrinsic preferred direction. Starting from the irreducible unitary representation of the inhomogeneous VSR group $ISIM(2)$, we present a rigorous construction of quantum field theory with a preferred direction. We find, although the particles and their quantum fields between the VSR and Lorentz sectors are physically different, they share many similarities. The massive spin-half and spin-one vector fields are local and satisfy the Dirac and Proca equations respectively. This result can be generalised to hig…
Glashow and Cohen claim that many results of special theory of relativity (SR) like time dilation, relativistic velocity addition, etc, can be explained by using certain proper subgroups, of the Lorentz group, which collectively form the main body of Very special relativity (VSR). They did not mention about length contraction in VSR. Length contraction in VSR has not been studied at all. In this article we calculate how the length of a moving rod contracts in VSR, particularly in the HOM(2) version. The results are interesting in the sense that in general the length contraction formulas in VSR…
In the very special relativity (VSR) proposal by Cohen and Glashow, it was pointed out that invariance under HOM(2) is both necessary and sufficient to explain the null result of the Michelson-Morely experiment. It is the quantum field theoretic demand of locality, or the requirement of P, T, CP, or CT invariance, that makes invariance under the Lorentz group a necessity. Originally it was conjectured that VSR operates at the Planck scale; we propose that the natural arena for VSR is at energies similar to the standard model, but in the dark sector. To this end we provide an ab initio spinor r…
Very Special Relativity (VSR) framework, proposed by Cohen and Glashow [1], demonstrated that a proper subgroup of the Poincaré group, (in particular ISIM(2)), is sufficient to describe the spacetime symmetries of the so far observed physical phenomena. Subsequently a deformation of the latter, $DISIM_b(2)$, was suggested by Gibbons, Gomis and Pope [2]. In the present work, we introduce a novel Non-Commutative (NC) spacetime structure, underlying the $DISIM_b(2)$. This allows us to construct explicitly the $DISIM_b(2)$ generators, consisting of a sector of Lorentz rotation generators and the t…
ISIM(2) symmetry group of Cohen and Glashow's very special relativity is unstable with respect to small deformations of its underlying algebraic structure and according to Segal's principle cannot be a true symmetry of nature. However, like special relativity, which is a very good description of nature thanks to the smallness of the cosmological constant, which characterizes the deformation of the Poincare group, the very special relativity can also be a very good approximation thanks to the smallness of the dimensionless parameter characterizing the deformation of ISIM(2).
We demonstrate that Robb-Geroch's definition of a relativistic interval admits a simple and fairly natural generalization leading to a Finsler extension of special relativity. Another justification for such an extension goes back to the works of Lalan and Alway and, finally, was put on a solid basis and systematically investigated by Bogoslovsky under the name "Special-relativistic theory of locally anisotropic space-time". The isometry group of this space-time, $\mathrm{DISIM}_b(2)$, is a deformation of the Cohen and Glashow's very special relativity symmetry group $\mathrm{ISIM(2)}$. Thus, t…
We investigate here various kinds of semi-product subgroups of Poincaré group in the scheme of Cohen-Glashow's very special relativity along the deformation approach by Gibbons- Gomis-Pope. For each proper Poincaré subgroup which is a semi-product of proper lorentz group with the spacetime translation group T(4), we investigate all possible deformations and obtain all the possible natural representations which inherit from the $5-d$ representation of Poincaré group. We find from the obtained natural representation that rotation operation may have additional accompanied scale transformation in …
We investigate here all the possible invariant metric functions under the action of various kinds of semi-direct product Poincaré subgroups and their deformed partners. The investigation exhausts the possible theoretical frameworks for the spacetime realization of Cohen-Glashow's very special relativity and the deformation very special relativity approach by Gibbons-Gomis-Pope. Within Finsler-Minkowski type of spacetime, we find that the spacetime emerge a Finsler type of geometry in most cases both for undermed Poincaré subgroup and for deformed one. We give an explanation that the rotation o…
The hypothesis on a minimal scale existence in the Universe leads to noncommutative geometry of Spacetime and thence to a modification of the Special Relativity constraint. Sidharth has deduced that this is equivalent to the Lorentz symmetry violation. This latter consideration was also used by Glashow, Coleman and other scholars though based on purely phenomenological models that have been suggested by the observation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays and Gamma Bursts. On the other hand a parallel development has been the proposal of a small but nonzero photon mass $m_γ>0$ by some authors incl…
The teaching of modern physics often uses the history of physics as a didactic tool. However, as in this process the history of physics is not something studied but used, there is a danger that the history itself will be distorted in, as Butterfield calls it, a "Whiggish" way, when the present becomes the measure of the past. It is not surprising that reading today a paper written more than a hundred years ago, we can extract much more of it than was actually thought or dreamed by the author himself. We demonstrate this Whiggish approach on the example of Woldemar Voigt's 1887 paper. From the …
