English

Elementary Particles in a Quantum Theory Over a Galois Field

High Energy Physics - Theory 2008-10-27 v4

Abstract

We consider elementary particles in a quantum theory based on a Galois field. In this approach infinities cannot exist, the cosmological constant problem does not arise and one irreducible representation of the symmetry algebra necessarily describes a particle and its antiparticle simultaneously. {\it In other words, the very existence of antiparticles is a strong indication that nature is described rather by a finite field (or at least a field with a nonzero characteristic) than by complex numbers.} As a consequence, the spin-statistics theorem is simply a requirement that standard quantum theory should be based on complex numbers and elementary particles cannot be neutral. The Dirac vacuum energy problem has a natural solution and the vacuum energy (which in the standard theory is infinite and negative) equals zero as it should be.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/0209001,
  title  = {Elementary Particles in a Quantum Theory Over a Galois Field},
  author = {Felix Lev},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0209001},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

Latex, 37 pages, no figures. Minor changes in motivation. In particular, it is noted that the very existence of antiparticles is a strong indication that nature is described rather by a finite field (or at least a field with a nonzero characteristic) than by complex numbers