Related papers: Coping with the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator's ghosts…
Contrary to common belief, it is shown that theories whose field equations are higher than second order in derivatives need not be stricken with ghosts. In particular, the prototypical fourth-order derivative Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator model…
Our purpose in this paper is to analyze the Pais-Uhlenbeck (PU) oscillator using complex canonical transformations. We show that starting from a Lagrangian approach we obtain a transformation that makes the extended PU oscillator, with…
We present a solution to the ghost problem in fourth order derivative theories. In particular we study the Pais-Uhlenbeck fourth order oscillator model, a model which serves as a prototype for theories which are based on second plus fourth…
We give a simple discussion of ghosts, unitarity violation, negative norm states and quantum vs classical behavior in the simplest model with four derivative action - the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator. We also point out that the normalizable…
We provide a new formulation of the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator which is a prototype of a higher derivative model. Different parametrisations that reveal the model as a combination of two simple harmonic oscillators are introduced.…
The Pais-Uhlenbeck model is a quantum theory described by a higher-derivative field equation. It has been believed for many years that this model possesses ghost states (quantum states of negative norm) and therefore that this model is a…
Using the Dirac constraint method we show that the pure fourth-order Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator model is free of observable negative norm states. Even though such ghosts do appear when the fourth order theory is coupled to a second order…
In the recent literature there has been a resurgence of interest in the fourth-order field-theoretic model of Pais-Uhlenbeck \cite {Pais-Uhlenbeck 50 a}, which has not had a good reception over the last half century due to the existence of…
We consider a Hamiltonian formulation of the (2n+1)-order generalization of the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator with distinct frequencies of oscillation. This system is invariant under time translations. However, the corresponding Noether…
A system of two independent Bosonic Harmonic Oscillators is converted into the respective fourth-order derivative Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator model. The conversion procedure displays transparently how the quantization of the fourth-order…
Here we prove that the classical (respectively, quantum) system, consisting of a particle moving in a static electromagnetic field, is canonically (respectively, unitarily) equivalent to a harmonic oscillator perturbed by a spatially…
Ostrogradsky's method allows one to construct Hamiltonian formulation for a higher derivative system. An application of this approach to the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator yields the Hamiltonian which is unbounded from below. This leads to the…
A time-dependent unitary (canonical) transformation is found which maps the Hamiltonian for a harmonic oscillator with time-dependent real mass and real frequency to that of a generalized harmonic oscillator with time-dependent real mass…
The stability of higher-order time derivative theories using the polymer extension of quantum mechanics is studied. First, we focus on the well-known Pais-Uhlenbeck model and by casting the theory into the sum of two decoupled The…
We investigate the cosmological dynamics of scalar fields governed by higher-order gravity, with particular emphasis on models inspired by the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator--a prototypical fourth-order system known for its connection to…
The Ostrogradski ghost problem that appears in higher derivative system is considered for systems with constraints. A prescription for removal of the ghost creating momenta is described based on the Dirac's constraint analysis. It is shown…
We investigate the Pais-Uhlenbeck (PU) model, a paradigmatic example of a higher time-derivative theory, by identifying the Lie symmetries of its associated fourth-order dynamical equation. Exploiting these symmetries in conjunction with…
Using the Pais-Uhlenbeck Oscillator as a toy model, we outline a consistent alternative to the indefinite-metric quantization scheme that does not violate unitarity. We describe the basic mathematical structure of this method by giving an…
We construct an N=2 supersymmetric extension of the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator for distinct frequencies of oscillation. A link to a set of decoupled N=2 supersymmetric harmonic oscillators with alternating sign in the Hamiltonian is…
We address the long-standing ``ghost problem" in higher time-derivative theories (HTDTs), where quantisation typically yields sectors with either unbounded spectra or non-normalisable eigenstates; both rendering the theory unphysical. We…