Eur. Phys. J. C (2014) 74: 3101
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-014-3101-2

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Lagrangian for Frenkel electron and position’s non-commutativity due to spin

¹ Depto. de Matemática, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
² Laboratory of Mathematical Physics, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Ave. 30, 634050, Tomsk, Russian Federation

^* e-mail: tretiykon@yandex.ru

Received: 13 June 2014
Accepted: 12 September 2014
Published online: 16 October 2014

Abstract

We construct a relativistic spinning-particle Lagrangian where spin is considered as a composite quantity constructed on the base of a non-Grassmann vector-like variable. The variational problem guarantees both a fixed value of the spin and the Frenkel condition on the spin-tensor. The Frenkel condition inevitably leads to relativistic corrections of the Poisson algebra of the position variables: their classical brackets became noncommutative. We construct the relativistic quantum mechanics in the canonical formalism (in the physical-time parametrization) and in the covariant formalism (in an arbitrary parametrization). We show how state vectors and operators of the covariant formulation can be used to compute the mean values of physical operators in the canonical formalism, thus proving its relativistic covariance. We establish relations between the Frenkel electron and positive-energy sector of the Dirac equation. Various candidates for the position and spin operators of an electron acquire clear meaning and interpretation in the Lagrangian model of the Frenkel electron. Our results argue in favor of Pryce’s (d)-type operators as the spin and position operators of Dirac theory. This implies that the effects of non-commutativity could be expected already at the Compton wavelength. We also present the manifestly covariant form of the spin and position operators of the Dirac equation.