paper

String Theory and The Velo-Zwanziger Problem

arXiv:1011.6411 · doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2011.01.007

Abstract

We examine the behavior of the leading Regge trajectory of the open bosonic string in a uniform electromagnetic background and present a consistent set of Fierz-Pauli conditions for these symmetric tensors that generalizes the Argyres-Nappi spin-2 result. These equations indicate that String Theory does bypass the Velo-Zwanziger problem, i.e. the loss of causality experienced by a massive high-spin field minimally coupled to electromagnetism. Moreover, we provide some evidence that only the first Regge trajectory can be described in isolation and show that the open-string spectrum is free of ghosts in weak constant backgrounds. Finally, we comment on the roles of the critical dimension and of the gyromagnetic ratio.

45 pages; to appear in Nuclear Physics B; references added, minor typos corrected

References in corpus (17)

Cited by in corpus (46)