Twistors and the massive spinning particle

Abstract

Gauge-invariant twistor variables are found for the massive spinning particle with N-extended local worldline supersymmetry, in spacetime dimensions D=3,4,6. The twistor action is manifestly Lorentz invariant but the anticommuting spin variables appear exactly as in the non-relativistic limit. This allows a simple confirmation that the quantum N=2 spinning particle has either spin one or spin zero, and that N>2 is quantum inconsistent for D=4,6.

21 pages. Revised to correct minor errors, and to add subsection on massless limit. Equation numbering problem corrected in v.3

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