IL NUOV0 CIMENT0 VOL. 57 A, N.

1 1 Maggio 1980

Two-Body Interactions through Tachyon Exchange (').

O. D . MACCARRONE
Scuola di Specializzazione i n E i s i c a dell'Universit~ - Catanla, I t a l i a

E . RECAIV~
I s t i t ~ t o di F i s i c a Teorica dell'Universith - Catania, I t a l i a
I s t i t u t o .Nazionale di F i s i c a .Nucleate - Sezione di Catania, I t a l i a
C . S . F . N . e S . d . M . - Catania, I t a l i a

(ricevuto il 5 Febbraio 1980)

Summary. - - Duo to its relevance for the possible applications to par-

ticle physics and for causality problems, we thoroughly analyse in this
p a p e r the kinematics of (classical) taehyon exchange between two
bodies A, B, for all possible relative velocities. I n particular, the two
eases u. V X c2 are carefully investigated, where u, V are the b o d y B and
tachyon speeds relative to A, respectively.

PART I : Introduction.

1. - Introduction.

I t is k n o w n since l o n g t h a t , w h e n i n v e s t i g a t i n g t a c h y o n d y n a m i c s , i t is
a l w a y s n e c e s s a r y t o t a k e i n t o p r o p e r a c c o u n t t h e t a c h y o n together w i t h i t s
e m i t t e r A a n d a b s o r b e r B (1).

(*) W o r k p a r t i a l l y supported b y CNR (under contract No. 79.02741) and MPI

(mod. A/4).
(1) E. RECAMI and R. MIGNANI: ]~iv. zVq~oVo Cimento, 4, 209-290, 398 (1974), and
references therein; R. MIGNA~I and E. RECA~I: P h y s . f~ett. B , 65, 148 (1976);

85
~ G.D. MACCARRONE and E. RECAMI

L e t us recall t h a t , if two particles or bodies A, B exchange a t a c h y o n T,

t h e n suitable subluminal observers always exist, which see the i n t e r m e d i a t e
t a c h y o n T with divergent speed, i.e. which judge the t a c h y o n exchange as
an instantaneous symmetrical interaction (~). Moreover, other observers always
exist, which see an a n t i t a e h y o n T flying f r o m B to A, with the exchange of
t h e emission a n d absorption rSles. The v e r y (( r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n procedure ,~ (~,~)
loses its meaning, therefore, if we cannot refer our T (T) to some interaction
regions.
I n other words, t a c h y o n s (even w h e n macro-objects) are typical carriers
of---mutual and symmetric---interaction b e t w e e n A a n d B (*). I t seems thus
p r o b a b l e t h a t in our cosmos t a c h y o n s h a v e a rSle as (! interaction carriers ,>
r a t h e r t h a n as stable (~a s y m p t o t i c a l ~) objects (~). F r e q u e n t l y , a t t e n t i o n has
been called (4) to the possibile connections~ for instance, b e t w e e n t a c h y o n s a n d
internal lines of the q u a n t u m - r e l a t i v i s t i c processes. ~V[oreover, it is well k n o w n (5)
t h a t black-holes, in classical physics~ can e m i t only taehyons, therefore consti-
t u t i n g a typical kind of taehyonic sources; f r o m (~e x t e n d e d r e l a t i v i t y ,> (x) black-
holes t h e n follow to be also absorbers of t a c h y o n s : this m e a n s t h a t t a e h y o n i c
m a t t e r can a priori be e x c h a n g e d - - ] o r i n s t a n c e ~ b e t w e e n black-holes, where
we m e a n b o t h (~g r a v i t a t i o n a l black-holes ~ (the ordinary ones) and possibly
~ strong black-holes ~ (hadrons).
F r o m w h a t precedes, it follows to be in a n y case quite i m p o r t a n t studying
in detail the kinematics of t a c h y o n exchange b e t w e e n two (micro- or macro-)
bodies.
T h e kinematics of t a c h y o n exchanges b e t w e e n two bodies A, B has been
a l r e a d y i n v e s t i g a t e d in p a r t , b u t the previous results a p p e a r e d scattered in a

E. RECAMI, Editor: Tachyons, Monopoles, and Related Topics (Amsterdam, 1978),

and references therein; Chap. 18 in Centenario di Einstein: astro]isica e cosmologia,
gravitazione, qnanti e relativit~ hello sviluppo del pensiero scientifieo di A. Einstein,
edited by M. PA~TAL~O (Firenze, 1979), p. 1021-1097; also appeared as Chapt. 16
in Relativity, Quanta and Cosmology in the Development o] the Seienti]ic Thought o]
A. Einstein, edited by F. DE FINIS, Vol. 2 (New York, N. Y., 1979), p. 537-597.
(2) ]~. R~CAMI: Found. Phys., 8, 329 (1978), and references therein.
(*) I t is not without meaning that Wn~V.LER and F~YNMA~ (z) were able to construct,
oven for the limiting case of photons, a theory (equivalent to the usual electromagnetism)
in which sources emit photons only if their detectors are, in a sense, (already) ready
to absorb them.
(3) J. A. WHEeLeR and R. P. FEY~MA~: Rev. Mod. l~hys., 17, 157 (1945); 21, 425
(1949).
(a) See, e.g., P. CASTORINA and E. RECAMI: ~ett. Nuovo Cimento, 22, 195 (1978),
and references (especially ref. (L4,5)) therein.
(5) See, e.g., E. RECAMI: in Tachyons, Monopoles, and Related Topics, edited by
E. RECAMI (Amsterdam, 1968), p. 16; V. DE SABBATA, M. PAVgI6 and E. RECAMI:
Left. Nuovo Cimento, 19, 441 (1977); E. RECAMI and K. T. SHAH: Lett. N~ovo Cimento,
24, 115 (1979).
TWO-BODY INTERACTIONS THROUGH TACHYON ~XCHANG~ 87

series of papers (e). D u e to t h a t f r a g m e n t a r y <(spreading ~>of the p a s t results,

increased b y the presence of a couple of (~e r r a t a ,> (7), we d e e m useful to ex-
p o u n d a g a i n - - i n i m p r o v e d , completed a n d m o r e organic f o r m - - t h e whole
question.
H o w e v e r , before dealing with the t a c h y o n exchange, let us premise a n
analysis of the e m i s s i o n a n d a b s o r p t i o n of a t a c h y o n T f r o m a b o d y (or par-
ticle) A.

2. - T a c h y o n e m i s s i o n (description o f ~r intrinsic e m i s s i o n , , as s e e n in t h e
rest f r a m e and in g e n e r i c f r a m e s ) .

L e t us consider first---/n i t s r e s t ] r a m e - - a b o d y C, with rest mass M, e m i t t i n g

t o w a r d s a second b o d y D a t a c h y o n (or a n t i t a c h y o n ) T , endowed with (real)
rest mass m a n d f o u r - m o m e n t u m p - - ( E ~ , p ) , which travels with speed V for
instance in the x-direction.
The f o u r - m o m e n t u m conservation requires, in n a t u r a l units, t h a t (~,e)

(1) (rest f r a m e ) ,

i.e.

(1') 2M~I = ~/[m 2 -F (M ' 2 - M2)] 2 + 4 m 2 M ~

w h e r e f r o m it follows t h a t a b o d y (or particle) C cannot e m i t in its rest f r a m e

a n y t a e h y o n T (whatever its rest mass m is), unless the rest mass M of C
j u m p s ( c l a s s i c a l l y ) to a l o w e r value M ' , such t h a t (1) [ET - -

(2) A =-- M '2 - - M 2 ~-- - - m 2 - - 2 M E T (emission)

so t h a t
(3) - - M 2 < A < - - p2 < _ m ~ (emission).

E q u a t i o n (1') can r e a d (1)

(1") V : V1 + 4m2 M~/(m ~ + A) 2 .

I n particular, since infinite-speed T ' s c a r r y zero energy b u t nonzero impulse

(s) E. RECAMI: ref. (1); E. RECAMI: Zett. N u o v o Cimento, 21, 208 (1978); 22, 591 (1978);
E. RECAMI and M. PAV~I~: I n t . J . Theor. P h y s . , 17, 77 (1978) ; M. PArdI5 and E. RECA~I :
~ett. N u o v o Cimento, 18, 134 (1977); 19, 72 (1977); Nceovo Cimento A , 36, 171 (1976);
46, 298 (1978); M. PArdI6, E. RECAMI and G. ZIINO: ~ett. N u o v o Cimento, 17, 257 (1976).
(7) E. R~CAMI: ~ett. N u o v o Cimento, 22, 591 (1978). See Mso M. PAV~tI~and E. Rv,CAMI:
_~uovo Cimento A, 46, 298 (1978).
88 G.D. 1IACCARRONE a I l d E. RECAMI

] p ] = me, then C cannot emit any transcendent t a c h y o n without lowering its

rest mass; in fact, in the case of infinite-speed T emission, i.e. when E~ ~ 0
(in the rest frame of C), eq. (2) yields (x)

(4) A =--m 2 (V=c~,E T~0).

Since emission of transcendent tachyons (antitachyons) is equivalent to absorp-

tion of transcendent antitachyons (tachyons), we shall again get eq. (4) also
as a limiting case of t a c h y o n absorption (cf. eq. (10)).
Notice t h a t A is, of course, a n i n v a r i a n t quantity. I n fact, eq. (2) can b e
read, in a generic frame J,
(5) A =--m S-2pupu,

where /)u is now the f o u r - m o m e n t u m of b o d y C in the generic frame. Still

- - M s < A < - - m S . The word (~emission ,) in eq. (3) [aims at indicating an
intrinsic, proper behaviour, in the sense t h a t it refers to (~emission (as seen)
in the rest ]tame of the e m i t t i n g b o d y or particle ~>. I n suitably m o v i n g frames ]~
such an (~emission ~) can e v e n appear as an absorption (1,2). (Conversely, other
(suitably moving) frames ]' can observe a T emission from C (in flight), which
does not satisfy inequation (3) since it corresponds in the rest frame of C to a n
(intrinsic) absorption.) However, i f - - i n the moving f l a m e ] - - i n e q u a t i o n (3)
appears to be satisfied, this implies t h a t in the rest frame of C the process
under examination is a t a c h y o n emission, b o t h when J observes an emission and
when it observes an absorption. L e t us anticipate that, in the case of (~intrinsic
absorption ,), relation (8') will be shown to hold, instead of relation (3). Before
going on, let us add here only the following observation: since the (invariant)
q u a n t i t y A in relation (8') can assume also positive values (contrary to the in-
v a r i a n t q u a n t i t y A in eqs. (2)-(3)), if an observer J sees b o d y A to increase
its rest mass in the process, t h e n the (( proper description ~ of the process can
be nothing b u t an (intrinsic) absorption; see the following.
W h e n A in eqs. (2)-(5) can assume only known, discrete, values (so as in
elementary-particle physics), t h e n - - o n c e M is fixed--eq. (2) imposes a link
between m and ET, i.e. between m and IP].
L e t us repeat, at last, t h a t the b o d y C, when in flight, can appear to emit
(suitable) tachyons without lowering (or even changing) its rest mass. I n par-
ticular, a particle in ]light can a priori emit a suitable t a c h y o n t transforming
into itselJ (but, in such cases, if we go to the rest frame of the initial particle,
t h e n the (~e m i t t e d )> t a c h y o n will appear as an absorbed a n t i t a c h y o n t) (1).

3. - Tachyon absorption.

Secondly, let us consider our b o d y C, with rest mass M, now absorbing i ~

its rest ]tame a t a c h y o n (or antitachyon) T' endowed with (real) rest mass m,
TWO-BODY INTERACTIONS THROUGH TACHYON EXCHANG~ ~

f o u r - m o m e n t u m p ~ (ET, p), emitted b y a second b o d y D , and travelling with

speed V (for instance along the x-direction).
The f o u r - m o m e n t u m conservation requires, in n a t u r a l units, t h a t (~,~)

(6) M + V / p 2 - - m 2 = %/p~ 3- M '~ (rest f r a m e ) ,

wherefrom it follows t h a t a b o d y (or particle) C at rest can a p r i o r i absorb

(suitable) tachyons b o t h when increasing or lowering its rest mass, and when
conserving it. More precisely, eq. (6) yields (~,6)

1
(7) IPI = ~ V ( m2 + A) ~ + 4m2M2 (rest f r a m e ) ,

which corresponds to

(s) A -~--m ~ ~ 2M.E T,

so t h a t
(8') (absorption).

E q u a t i o n (7) tells us t h a t body C (in its rest frame) can absorb the t a c h y o n
(or antitaehyon) T, emitted b y the second b o d y D, only when the t a c h y o n
speed V is (1,")

(9) V = V1 + 4m2.M2/(m 2 + A) ~ .

I t should be explicitly noticed t h a t eq. (8) differs from eq. (2). On the con-
trary, eqs. (7), (9) f o r m a l l y coincide with eqs. (1'), (1"), respectively; but t h e y
refer to different domains of A ; in fact, e.g., in eq. (1") we have A ~ - - m 2,
whilst in eq. (9) we have A ~ - m 2.
I n particular, from eq. (9) one observes t h a t C can absorb (in its rest frame)
infinite-speed tachyons only when m ~ ~- A ~ O, i.e.

(10) V --~ c~,~--~ A = -- m2 (rest frame)

in agreement with eq. (4).

Q u a n t i t y A is, of course, invariant. ~ a m e l y , eq. (8) can be written, in a
generic frame f (1,6),

(11) A ~-- -- m ~ -~ 2p~P~,

where iP~ is now the f o u r - m o m e n t u m of b o d y C in the generic frame f. Still

A > ~ - m 2. Notice t h a t the word absorption in eq. (8') means (~intrinsic absorp-
tion ~), since it refers to (( absorption (as seen) i n the rest f r a m e of the absorbing
b o d y or particle ~). This means that, if a moving observer f sees relation (8')
90 G.D. MACCARR0~ and E. R~CA~I

to be satisfied, the (( intrinsic ~) description of the process (in the rest f r a m e of C)

is a t a c h y o n absorption, both when ] observes an a b s o r p t i o n and when it ob-
serves an emission. I n the p a r t i c u l a r case A ~ 0, we should simply get

2 A]/-E,r = - m 2 (A = 0) .

W h e n A in eqs. (7)-(11) can assume only known, discrete values (so as in

e l e m e n t a r y - p a r t i c l e physics), t h e n - - o n c e M is f i x e d eqs. (7)-(11) state a
link b e t w e e n m a n d E T (or ]p[, or V).
:For f u r t h e r considerations, cf. the end of sect. 2.

4. - Some remarks.

I n view of describing the t a c h y o n exchange b e t w e e n two bodies (or par-

ticles) A a n d B, let us t h o r o u g h l y write down the implications of the four-
m o m e n t u m conservation at A and at B. I n order to do t h a t , we need choosing
a unique f r a m e for describing the processes b o t h a t A a n d a t B. L e t us choose
to these purposes the rest f r a m e of A.
Before going on, let us since now explicitly m e n t i o n the i m p o r t a n t f a c t
t h a t , w h e n bodies A a n d B exchange one t a c h y o n T, the t a c h y o n kinematics (1)
is such t h a t the <(intrinsic description ~ of the process at A a n d at B (where
t h e process at A is described in the rest f r a m e of A, a n d the process at B is
described in the rest f r a m e of B) can a priori be of the following ]our types (1):

i) emission-absorption,
ii) absorption-emission,
(12)
iii) emission-emission,
iv) a b s o r p t i o n - a b s o r p t i o n .

I t is noticeable t h a t the possible cases are not only i) a n d ii). Case iii) c a n
h a p p e n when the t a c h y o n exchange takes place in the recession phase (i.e. while
bodies A, B are receding one f r o m the other); case iv) can h a p p e n when the
t a c h y o n exchange takes place in the approaching phase (i.e. when A, B are
a p p r o a c h i n g one another). F o r instance, let us consider an elastic scattering
b e t w e e n two (different) particles a, b. I n the c.m.s., as is well known, a a n d b
exchange m o m e n t u m b u t no energy. An infinite-speed t a c h y o n T can, there-
fore, be a suitable carrier of t h a t interaction (T will a p p e a r as a ]inite-speed
t a c h y o n in the rest frames of a, b).
H o w e v e r , if a, b h a v e to r e t a i n their rest mass during the process, t h e n
a t a c h y o n exchange can describe t h a t elastic process only when we h a v e (~in-
trinsic a b s o r p t i o n ~) b o t h at a a n d a t b (this can h a p p e n only when a, b are
a p p r o a c h i n g one another).
9 WO-BODY INTEI~ACTIOTNS THROUGI::I T A C H Y O N EXCItA~TG~. 91

Notice t h a t the descriptions i)-iv) above do not refer to one and the same
observer, since t h e y on the contrary add together the <(local ,> descriptions of
observers A and B.

:PART I I : Tachyon exchange when u.V<c~ (*).

L e t V, u be the t a c h y o n and b o d y B velocities, respectively, in the rest

frame of A.
L e t us now consider A, B to exchange a t a e h y o n (or antitaehyon) T when
u.V~ c ~. I n the rest frame of A, we can have either intrinsic emission or
intrinsic absorption f r o m b o d y A.

5. - Case o f ~( i n t r i n s i c e m i s s i o n ~ at A .

I n the case when one observes, in the rest frame of A, an (intrinsic) t a c h y o n

emission f r o m A , both A a n d B will see the exchanged t a c h y o n to be emitted
b y A and absorbed b y B. I n fact, given a t a c h y o n T with speed V in the
frame A, a moving observer B endowed with speed u will see an antitachyon
(travelling the opposite way, according to the r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n p r i n c i p l e (1,2))
only when u.V~ e 2, whilst in the present case u . V < c ~. Cf. ref. (1,2,6).
Imposing the f o u r - m o m e n t u m conservation at A, we get (in the A rest
frame) from eqs. (1), (2)

(13) A., - - M ~ - - M ] = - - .~" - - 2 M ~ E ~ (rest frame),

(13') 2Malpl : [(m ~ -~ A~) ~ ~- 4m2M]] 89

(13") V = [1 + 4m'Mi/(.~' + A~)'] ~ ,

where now we called M~, M'~ the initial and final rest mass of b o d y A, respec-
tively. According to eq. (5), in a generic frame ], the q u a n t i t y AA can be
written in explicitly covariant f o r m as follows:

(14) Aa = - - m 2 - - 2pt,-P ~ ,

wherefrom
(14') -- M] < A~<--m 2 (intrinsic emission),

(*) For instance, this includes tachyon exchanges in the (~approaching phase ~) (for
intrinsic T emission at A) and in the (~receding phase ~)(for intrinsic T absorption at A).
~ G.D. MACCARRONE and S. R E C A M I

where now p~ and / ~ ~re t a c h y o n T a n d b o d y A f o u r - m o m e n t a , respectively,

in the f r a m e /. l ~ e m e m b e r t h a t , w h u t e v e r the process description be in /,
eq. (14') holds i / and only i / the process (~intrinsic description ~> in A is
(taehyon) emission. I~emember also inequation (3).
L e t us r e m a i n in the rest f r a m e of A, a n d now s t u d y the k i n e m a t i c a l con-
ditions u n d e r which the t a c h y o n T e m i t t e d b y A can be a b s o r b e d b y a secon4
b o d y B m o v i n g ~ i n gencrul with speed u along a generic direction (with
respect to A).
L e t MB a n d PB - - (EB, PB) be rest mass a n d f o u r - m o m e n t u m of b o d y B~
respectively. I f T m u s t b e absorbed b y B , t h e n (~)

(15) VP~ + ~ + V p ~ - n~ = V ( P . + p)~ + M'~~ ,

!
where M B is the final rest mass of B.
L e t us define
- M?-
which reads (~,~)

(16) AB ~ -- m S -[- 2~/~B(1 -- u V cos a ) ,

w h e r e ~ - - - - E T a n d M B - EB ~ : % / ~ ~ M~ are t h e relativistic masses of T

a n d B, respectively, und a --: u. V is the ungle b e t w e e n u a n d V. The i n v a r i a n t
q u a n t i t y AB, in a generic f r a m e /, can be w r i t t e n (,,e)

(17) A. : -- m 2 + 2p~P~,

where now p~, P~ are T a n d B f o u r - m o m e n t a i n the generic ] r a m e / . Differently

f r o m the (intrinsic) emission case, AB can a priori assume b o t h negative and
positive or null values:
(18) -- m s < AB ~ co (intrinsic a b s o r p t i o n ) .

:Notice t h a t , if in t h e generic f r a m e / relation (18) is verified, t h e n (whatever

be the description of the process at B given b y ]) the process will a p p e a r in
the rest f r a m e or B as an (intrinsic) absorption. Of course, the kinematics
connected with eq. (15) is such t h a t A . can even be smaller t h a n - m~
(cf. eq. (16)); b u t such a case [ u V cos ~ ~ 11 would correspond to intrinsic
emission (and no longer to intrinsic absorption).
I n conclusion the t a c h y o n exchange, in the case of (~intrinsic emission ))
at A w i t h u . V ~ c 2 in the A rest frame, is kinematically allowed when the fol-
lowing equations are simultaneously satisfied:

A~ ~ - - m 2 - 2M~E T (-- M ] ~ Aa~--m~),

(19)
AB ---- -- m ~ ~- 2 E T E . ( 1 -- u . V ) (AB>~-- m~).
*s INTERACTIONS T H R O U G H TACHYON E X C H A N G E 93

I n the particular case in which B moves along the direction line of t a c h y o n T

(in the negative or positive x-direction, let us say), so t h a t P-I](=[=P), then
t h e second of eqs. (19) can also be written (~.e)

420) 2M~Ip I = ~ 1 / ( m ~ + A.)~ + 4m~M~ + (m~ + A~)IP~I (P~II(~ p))

W h e n B is at rest with respect to A (i.e. when PB = 0) we are back to

sect. 3 and recover eqs. (7), (8), (9).
Finally, let us add the consideration t h a t in this case ((~ intrinsic absorption ~
a t B) the q u a n t i t y A z can a p r i o r i v a n i s h - - d i f f e r e n t l y from the q u a n t i t y AA
which has always to be negative (cf. eq. (3))--. I n the case in which As ---- 0,
the second of eqs. (19) simplifies into

2ETEB(1 -- u . V ) ---- m ~ (A.=0),

:and eqs. (20) become

(21)
IPl - - 2 M i
m [E~Vm~ + 4M~ i mlP~l] ( P ~ l l ( ~ p ) ; A~ = 0 ) .

I n the v e r y particular case in which both PB = 0 and A . = 0, eqs. (20), (21)

yield (1,6) (cf. eq. (9))
(22) V = 1/1 + 4 M ~ / m 2 (PB = 0; A , = 0 ) .

6. - C a s e o f {{ i n t r i n s i c a b s o r p t i o n ~ a t A .

Let us consider t a c h y o n exchanges such t h a t the process at A appears,

in the A rest frame, as an (intrinsic) absorption. Observer A will see the
(exchanged) t a c h y o n T to be emitted b y B. The condition u . V < c * implies (1,,.e)
in this case t h a t b o d y B appears to emit t a c h y o n T also in its own rest framo.
The present case, there/ore, is j u s t the s y m m e t r i c a l o/ the previous one i n sect. 5.
The only difference is t h a t now we are in the rest / t a m e of A, i.e. of the ab-
sorbing body.
F o r the process at A we have

(23) i ~ + 1 / f - - m : = ~/F + M; ~ (A rest frame),

where now

(24) zJA :-- M '2 - - M ~ = -- m s -H 2M.4ET (intrinsic absorption).

I n a generic frame /, the invariant q u a n t i t y A, can read

(25) A~ = -- m ~ -t- 2p~P~,

~ G.D. MACCARRONE a n d ~. RECAMI

wherefrom

(26) -- m2~ZJA~ O0 (intrinsic a b s o r p t i o n ) ,

where now p , , P~ are the f o u r - m o m e n t a of T and A, respectively, i n the generic

]rame 1. L e t us recall t h a t / will see relation (26) to be satisfied i / and only i f
it refers to a process (at A) which is (, intrinsically ~) a t a c h y o n absorption,
w h a t e v e r his description from / be.
L e t us recall that, in the particular case A~ ~ 0, we get 2 M ~ E ~ ~ m 2.
F o r the process at B, in the rest frame of A, we h a v e

(27) v~i + Mi = Vf--m~ + V ( P . - - p ) ~ + M~~ ,

where (el., for the symbols, eq. (16))

(2s) AB ==-M'B* - - M ~ = -- m 2 -- 2~]~B(1 -- u. V).

I n a generic frame 1, the invariant q u a n t i t y A. can be written (p., P~ now being

the f o u r - m o m e n t a of T and B, respectively, i n the generic / t a m e ])

(29) 3B = -- m 2 - - 2pt, P ~ ,

wherefrom
(3O) -- M~ < AB< -- m 2 (intrinsic emission).

L e t us observe that, in a frame 1, relation (30) holds i] and only i / the process
at B (no m a t t e r how it m a y appear to ]) is (( intrinsically ))--i.e. in the B
rest f r a m e - - a t a e h y o n emission. W e have already seen t h a t it would be an
(~intrinsic absorption )~ only if we had A . > - - m ~ ; t h a t is to say, in general,

- - m 2 -~ 2 p ~ P ~ > - - m 2 ::> intrinsic absorption,

(31) [ u ' V < c ~] " A , = <
-- m ~ -- 2p~,P~ ~ - - m 2 :~ intrinsic emission.

F o r clarity's sake, let us explicitly repeat t h a t : Necessary condition i n order

that the tachyon (or antitachyon) T , seen by A to be absorbed by B , can be seen
i n the rest ]rame o/ B as an antitachyon (or taehyon) cr actually emitted by B ,
is that d u r i n g the process B lowers its rest m a s s (invariant statement!) i n such
a w a y that -- M ~ A B < - - m 2.
I n conclusion the t a c h y o n exchange, in the case of (( i n t r i n s i c )) absorption
at A and u . V < c 2 (in the rest frame of A), is kinematically allowed when t h e
following equations are simultaneously satisfied:

[ A,------m ~2M.E T
(32)
AB-~-- - - m 2 - 2ETEB(1-- u.V) (- ~<A~<-m~).
TWO-BODY INTERACTIONS THROUGH TACHYON ~XCHANGE 95

I n t h e p a r t i c u l a r case in which B m o v e s along t h e direction line of tachyon T

(in the x-direction, let us say), so t h a t PBI](• P), t h e n the second of eqs. (32)
can be written

(33) 2Milpl =F~.V(m~+A.)~+4m~mIT ( ~ + ~.)IP~I (P-II(•

where a t t e n t i o n should be paid to the f a c t t h a t the signs in the r.h.s, of eq. (33)
are opposite to the ones entering eq. (20), as it should be also for self-evident
s y m m e t r y reasons.
W h e n B is a t rest with respect to A, so t h a t PB ---- 0, the second one of
eqs. (33) t r a n s f o r m s into
1
(34) [P] = 2-~B q ( m 2 + zlz)2 + 4m2M~ (PB = 0)

in obvious a g r e e m e n t with eq. (1'). A n d so on: cf. eq. (1"), (2). L e t us r e p e a t

the observation t h a t , in the present caso of intrinsic emission, eq. (34) cor-
responds to values of AB in the range -- M 2 < A B < - - m 2, whilst eq. (7), which
holds in the opposite case of intrinsic absorption, corresponds to A B > - - m 2.

PAI~T I I I : T a c h y o n e x c h a n g e w h e n u . V > c ~.

Still in the rest f r a m e of A, let us now consider A, B to exchange a t a c h y o n

(or a n t i t a c h y o n ) T when u . V > c 2. U n d e r the present condition, again we
can h a v e either (( intrinsic emission )> or (~intrinsic absorption ,~ b y b o d y A.
The present eases di]/er f r o m the ones previously considered in P a r t I I
for the f a c t t h a t n o w - - d u e to the r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n procedure (1.2)--the T emis-
sion (at A) and T absorption (at B) are described in the rest f r a m e of B as a
absorption (at A) a n d a T emission (at B), respectively (~).

7. - Case o f a intrinsic e m i s s i o n , at A .

If, in the rest f r a m e of A, we observe t h a t b o d y A (intrinsically) emits

t a c h y o n T, t h e n in the B rest f r a m e we would observe an a n t i t a c h y o n T absorbed
b y A - - d u e to the present condition u . V ~ e 2, a n d to the r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
procedure (1.2,6)__.
Necessary condition for this case to exist is t h a t A, B are receding one f r o m
the other (i.e. are in the (( recession p h a s e ~)).
I n a n y ease, in the A rest frame, we get for the process at A the same
kinematics already e x p o u n d e d in sect. 3. H e r e we confine ourselves, therefore,
to quote eqs. (1)-(5), or r a t h e r eqs. (13), (14).
96 G.D. MACCA~RONE a n d v.. R]$CAMI

As to the process a t B , in the A rest f r a m e b o d y B is observed to absorb

a t a c h y o n T:

(15) V ~ + Mi + ~ 2 _ m2 = ~/(p. + p)~ + M;~.

I n the B rest frame, however, one would observe an ((~ intrinsic ~)) T emission,
so t h a t w h a t we s t a t e d between eqs. (31) a n d (32) is here in order. N a m e l y ,
relation (30) has to hold in this case (even if it is now associated to eq. (15)
a n d n o t to eq. (27), in the A rest frame). Notice t h a t , when passing f r o m the
A rest f r a m e to the B rest f r a m e (and a p p l y i n g the r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n proce-
d u r e (1.~)), in eq. (15) one has t h a t : i) Q u a n t i t y E T changes its sign, so t h a t
q u a n t i t y % / p 2 m 2 appears a d d e d to the r.h.s. (and no longer to the 1.h.s.);
ii) the t a c h y o n t h r e e - m o m e n t u m p changes its sign (since we go f r o m a
t a c h y o n T with impulse p to its a n t i t a c h y o n T with impulse - - p ) .
I n a n y case, / t o m eq. (15) with the condition u . V ~ c ~ it d i r e c t l y / o l l o w s

(35) As ~- -- m ~ --}-2~31~z(1 - - u. V) -<<-- m ~ ,

which can r e a d

(36) As = -- m ~ q- 2p~,P~<--m ~.

I n other words, eq. (15) with u . V > ~ c ~ yields

(37) -- M~n < A ~ < - - m 2 (intrinsic emission).

I n c o n c l u s i o n the t a c h y o n exchange, in the case of (( intrinsic emission ,)

a t A a n d u . V > ~ c 2 (in the A rest frame), is kinematically allowed when the fol-
lowing equations are simultaneously satisfied:

A a -~ _ m 2_ 2MaE T (AA < -- m *) ,

(38)
A s -= - - m ~ ~ - 2 E T E n ( 1 -- u .V) (A. < - m*).

I n the particular case in which P s a n d p are collinear, we can h a v e only P s I [ P

((~ recession phase ~>) a n d the second of eqs. (38) can be w r i t t e n

(39)

E q u a t i o n (39) is formally identical to p a r t of eq. (20), b u t refers to values of As

in the range - - M ~ < A z < - - m ~. I t refers, therefore, to the same range of AB
values as eq. (33), b u t its r.h.s, contains a sign which is at variance with eq. (33).
TW0-BODY I N T E R A C T I O N S TttlZOUGH TACItYOlq E X C H A N G E 97

8. - C a s e o f c~ i n t r i n s i c absorption ~ at A.

D u e to the present condition u . V > c ~ a n d to the r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n proce-

dure (1.~), if we observe in the A rest f r a m e b o d y A (intrinsically) to absorb
a t a c h y o n T, t h e n in the B rest f r a m e we should observe an a n t i t a c h y o n
e m i t t e d b y A.
N e c e s s a r y c o n d i t i o n for this case to exist is t h a t A , B are a p p r o a c h i n g each
o t h e r (i.e. are in the (( a p p r o a c h i n g p h a s e ~)).
I n a n y case, in the rest f r a m e of A, we get (for t h e process a t A) the s a m e
kinematics already e x p o u n d e d in sect. 6. H e r e we confine ourselves, therefore,
to quote eqs. (6)-(11), or r a t h e r eqs. (23)-(26).
As to the process a t B~ in the A rest f r a m e b o d y B is observed to e m i t
tachyon T :
(27) ~f-P2B + M i = V p 2 - - m 2 + V(PB--p) 2 + M'n2 9

I n the B rest frame, however, one would observe an (<( intrinsic )>) T absorption,
so t h a t it m u s t be
(40) - - m s < AB < oo (intrinsic a b s o r p t i o n ) .

I n fact, at v a r i a n c e w i t h eqs. (31), in the case u . V > c ~ we h a v e

- - m s - - 2 p ~ P U n > - m s ~ intrinsic absorption,

(41) [ u . V > c '] " A , ---- -.~
- - m 2 + 2 p PUB<~-- m s ~ intrinsic emission.

~ a m e l y , f r o m eq. (27) with the condition u . V > c ~, it directly follows

(42) Az : - - m s - - 2~/~r~(1 -- u . V ) > - - m ~,

which can r e a d

(43) AB:-- m s- 2p,P~>--m ~.

I n other words, eq. (27) with the condition u . V > c 2 yields

(44) -- m 2 < A z < oo (intrinsic a b s o r p t i o n ) .

In c o n c l u s i o n the t a c h y o n exchange, in the case of (( intrinsic absorption ))

a t A a n d u . V > ~ c ~ (in the A rest frame), is kinematically allowed when the fol-
lowings equations are simultaneously verified:

(45)
I A~:--ms+2M~E T ( A a > -- m 2) ,

A ~ ~- - - m ~ - 2ETE~(1-- u.V) (AB>-- m').

7 - II Nuovo Cimento A.
98 G. D. ~AeCARRONE and E. RECAMI

I n t h e p a r t i c u l a r case in w h i c h P , a n d p a r e c o l l i n e a r , w e c a n h a v e only Ps]]p

((~ a p p r o a c h i n g p h a s e ~)), a n d t h e s e c o n d of eqs. (45) c a n b e w r i t t e n

(46) 2M~]p] = EsV'(m ~ + A~) 2 + 4m" 11/~-- (m ~ + A-)IP~I ( llp)

w i t h - - m ~ A B < c~.
F i n a l l y , l e t us r e c a l l t h a t in t h e p r e s e n t case ((~ i n t r i n s i c a b s o r p t i o n s ,) a t B
a n d a t A ) both q u a n t i t i e s A~, A , can ~r W h e n A~ = 0, w e s i m p l y g e t
2 M ~ E v = m ~. I n t h e p a r t i c u l a r case in w h i c h Az = 0, w e w o u l d g e t

2 E T E B ( u . V - - ~1) = m 2 (AB = 0 ) ,

a n d eqs. (46) w o u l d b e c o m e ( w h e n PzHP)

(47) Lpl - m [E,V/m2+4M~_mIpBi] (P.IIp; A. = 0 ) .

A t t h i s p o i n t l e t us r e m e m b e r t h a t , w h e n e l e m e n t a r y i n t e r a c t i o n s a r e con-
s i d e r e d t o b e m e d i a t e d b y t h e s t r o n g - f i e l d q u a n t a , no ((~ r e a l i s t i c ))) o r d i n a r y
p a r t i c l e s c a n a c t u a l l y b e t h e c a r r i e r s of t h e t r a n s f e r r e d e n e r g y - m o m e n t u m (s).
O n t h e c o n t r a r y , t a c h y o n s ( i n s t e a d of t h e s o - c a l l e d v i r t u a l p a r t i c l e s ) can a priori
w o r k as t h e a c t u a l c a r r i e r s of t h e s t r o n g i n t e r a c t i o n s (s,9)(*).

(s) E. RECA~aI: Chapt. 18 in Centenario di Einstein: astro]isica e cosmologia, gravita-

zione, quanti e relativith nel pensiero scientifico di A . Einstein, edited b y M. PA~TAL]~O
(Firenze, 1979), p. 1071 lolls.; Chapt. 16 in Relativity, Quanta and Cosmology in the
Development o] the Scienti]ic Thought o] A . Einstein, edited b y F. DE FIniS, Vol. 2
(New York, N. Y., 1979), p. 575 folls.; in Tachyons, Monopoles, and Related Topics,
edited b y E. RECAMI (Amsterdam, 1978), p. 17; P. CAS~O~INA and E. R~CAMI: Lett.
Nuovo Cimento, 22, 195 (1978); M. PAv~I~ and E. R]~cAMI: .Nuovo Cimento A , 36,
171 (1976), particularly footnotes (17.21.32); E. RECAMI, R. MIGNA~I and G. ZIINO: in
Recent Development i n Relativistic Quantum ~ield Theory and its Application, edited b y
W. KARWOWS~I, u 2 (~Vroclaw, 1976), p. 269; E. RECAMI and R. MIG~A~I: Phys.
~ett. B, 62, 41 (1976), p. 43; R. MIGNANI and E. RECAMI: Phys. Lett. B, 65, 149 (1976),
footnotes on p. 149; Nuovo Cimento A , 30, 533 (1975), Sect. 4, p. 538-539; M. BALI)O
and E. R~CAMI: Lett. Nuovo Cimento, 2, 643 (1969), p. 646; V. S. OLKHOVSKI and E.
RECAMI: NUOVO Cimento A , 6 3 , 814 (1969), p. 122; E. RECAMI: G. ~is., ]0, 195 (1969),
p. 203-205; Possible ... and comments on tachyons, virtual particles, resonances, Report
IFUM-088/S.M., University of Milano (August 1968), p. 4-8.
(9) H . C . CORBEl: in Tachyons, Monopoles, and Related Topics, edited b y E. R]~CAMI
(Amsterdam, 1978), p. 31; .Lett. Nuovo Cimento, 22, 116 (1978); 20, 645 (1977); three
preprints, Scarborough College, West Hill, Ont. (August, September and Novem-
ber 1977); P. CASTORINA and E. RECAMI: Lett. Nuovo Cimento, 22, 195 (1978); J . D .
EDMONDS jr. : Specul. in Sc. and Techn. (to appear); N. R G S ~ and G. SZAMOSI: preprint
(Technion, Haifa, 1979); G. SzAMosI and D. TR~VlSAN: preprint (Windsor University,
Ont., 1978); K. RAFA~]~LLI: Phys. Rev. D, 17, 640 (1978); T. AKIBA: report
TWO-BODY INTERACTIONS THROUGH TACHYON EXCHANGE 99

F o r i n s t a n c e , l e t us recall t h a t a n y elastic scattering can b e c o n s i d e r e d as

<{r e a l i s t i c a l l y }~ (classically) m e d i a t e d b y a s u i t a b l e t a c h y o n e x c h a n g e d u r i n g
t h e a p p r o a c h i n g p h a s e of t h e t w o bodies. I n such a case eqs. (45) r e a d (always
i n t h e A rest frame)

{ E T=m212M~,
(48) (A~ : A~ = 0);
EB = i . l / ( u " V - - 1),

we are n e g l e c t i n g t h e a n g u l a r - m o m e n t u m c o n s e r v a t i o n .
I n t h e e . m . s . , for i n s t a n c e , we w o u l d h a v e tP~I : [PB[ ~- [PI, a n d

m 2
(49) cos 0.... = 1 - - - - (elastic s c a t t e r i n g ) ,

so t h a t (once IPI is fixed), for each t a c h y o n m a s s m, we s h o u l d get one p a r t i c -

u l a r 0.... ; if m a s s u m e s o n l y discrete v a l u e s ( a c c o r d i n g to t h e duality prin-
ciple (1,2)), t h e n 0.... r e s u l t s to b e (classically) (( q u a n t i z e d ~)(8,~), e x c e p t for a
c y l i n d r i c a l s y m m e t r y . More i n g e n e r a l , for each discrete v a l u e of t h e t a c h y o n
m a s s m, t h e q u a n t i t y 0 .... a s s u m e s too a discrete v a l u e , w h i c h is m e r e l y a

TU/76/138 (Tohoku University, Sendai, 1976); S. HAMAMOTO: Prog. Theor. Phys.,

51, 1977 (1974); E. VAN DER SPuY: Phys. Rev. D, 7, 1106 (1973); in Tachyons,
Monopoles, and Related Topics, edited by E. RECAMI (Amsterdam, 1978), p. 175;
C. JuE: Phys. Rev. D, 8, 1757 (1973); A. M. GLEESON, M. G. GUNDZIG, E. C. G. SU-
D~SHAN and A. PAGNAMENTA:Phys. Rev. A, 6, 807 (1972); Part. Nucl., 1, 1 (1970);
]~. C. G. SUDARSHAN: Phys. Rev. D, 1, 2428 (1970); Ark. Fys., 39 (40), 585 (1969).
See also A. I. :BuGRIJ, L. L. JENKOVSKY and N. A. KOBYLINSKY: I~ett. Nuovo Cimento,
5, 389 (1972); F. T. HADJIOANNOU: ~V~ovo Cimento, 44, 185 (1966); I. FERRETTI and
M. VERDE: Atli Aecad. Sci. Torino C1. Sci. Fis. Mat. Nat. (1966), p. 318.
(*) For instance, let us consider the vertex A33--~P § ~T of a suitable one-particle
exchange diagram, and suppose the exchanged particle ~T ((( internal line ~)) to be a
tachyon pion (instead of a virtual object). Then, from eqs. (2), (13) we should get
(1232) 2 - (938) 2 : (140) 2 + 2 • 1232 • %/c2 Ipl 2- - (140) 2
and, therefore,
[ P l ~ : 287 MeV/c, E ~ : 251 MeV,
so that, in the c.m.s, of the A(1232), the total energy of the tachyonic p i o n - - u n d e r the
present hypotheses--should be centred around 251 MeV.
Again, let us consider the decay = - - ~ - ~ v T under the hypothesis that vT be a
tachyon-neutrino (vith mv~O, v ~ e ) . I t has been shown, e.g. by R. G. CAWLEY (.Lett.
Nuovo Cimento, 3, 523 (1972)), that this hypothesis is not inconsistent with the experi-
mental data and implies for the muon-neutrino m ~ < l . 7 Meg. I n the two limiting
cases (m~= 0 and m~-- 1.7 MeV), from eqs. (2), (13) one gets in the c.m.s, of the pion
m ~ : 0 ~ I P [ ~ : 29.79MeV/c (v--c),
m~ = 1.7 ~ [Ply : 29.83 MeV/c (v _ 1.0016c) ,
where the firs~ result coincides, of course, with the standard one.
100 G.D. MACCARRONE and E. RECAM~

function of [P]. Such naive considerations are neglecting the mass width of
the tachyonic ((~ mesonic ~)) resonances (s,9). L e t us recall t h a t in the c.m.s.
a n y elastic scattering a p p e a r s classically as m e d i a t e d b y an infinite-speed
t a c h y o n h a v i n g p , ~ (0, p ) , where IPl ~--m. Moreover, eqs. (48) impose a
link b e t w e e n m a n d the direction of p , i.e. between m a n d ~ - - p ' P (where,
e.g., we can choose P = P~; r e m e m b e r t h a t PB------ P~):

~t
(50) cos a = --2IFI;
again we find t h a t (once ]PI is fixed), if the t a c h y o n - m e s o n masses are discrete,
t h e n also the exchanged t h r e e - m o m e n t u m results to be (classically) (( quan-
tized ~) in b o t h its m a g n i t u d e and direction.
This m e a n s again t h a t , for each discrete value of m, also the exchanged
t h r e e - m o m e n t u m assumes one discrete direction (except for a cylindrical sym-
m e t r y ) , which is a function only of IPI. Notice t h a t such a result cannot be
o b t a i n e d at the classical level when confining ourselves only to bradyons, since
o r d i n a r y particles cannot, f r o m the k i n e m a t i c a l viewpoint, be the interaction
carriers.
Of course, also nonelastic scatteriugs can be considered as m e d i a t e d b y
suitable t a c h y o n exchanges (s).

9. - Final considerations.

R o u g h l y speaking, we can s u m m a r i z e w h a t precedes b y saying t h a t

a) in the case of (( intrinsic emission )) a t A

(51) u.V~c 2 ~ 2~--m 2,

b) in the case of (~intrinsic absorption ~) a t A

(52) u . V ~ c ~ ~ A z <>--m~.

A t this point, let us recall (~.2) t h a t no causal problems arise in t a c h y o n

microphysies, some problems r e m a i n i n g possibly open only in t a c h y o n macro-
physics.
More precisely, when u . V<.<c2, no causality p r o b l e m arises even in t a c h y o n

(lO) Cf. ref. (L~), and P. CALDI~OLAand E. R]~CAMI: Causality and tachyons in relativity,
in Italian Studies in the Philosophy o] Science, edited by M. D~z~LA CHIARA (Boston,
Mass., 1980); E. R]~eAMI: in Annuario '73, Enciclopedia EST-Mondadori (Milano,
1973), p. 85.
TWO-BODY INT]gRACTIOI~S Tttl~OUGIt TACttYON EXCHANGE 101

m a c r o p h y s i c s (6,10). O n l y w h e n u . V > c 2, i t seems t h a t s o m e i n t e r e s t i n g c a u s a l

p r o b l e m s r e m a i n t o b e e x p l o i t e d in tachyon macrophysics (10) ( b u t not in
m i c r o p h y s i c s ) , w h o s e d i s c u s s i o n a p p a r e n t l y r e q u i r e s t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t dif-
f e r e n t s u b j e c t s w h i c h m ~ y r a n g e f r o m t h e p e c u l i a r b e h a v i o u r of t a c h y o n
s o u r c e s a n d d e t e c t o r s , t o t h e s p o n t a n e o u s t a c h y o n e m i s s i o n p r o p e r t i e s of
m a t t e r , t o i n f o r m a t i o n t h e o r y , a n d so on (~nd e v e n t o t h e q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r
M i n k o w s k i s p a c e - t i m e is e n o u g h for a l l o c a t i n g t h e <~free-will ~> b e h a v i o u r ) .
I n a n y case, l e t us w a r n once m o r e t h a t t h e c o r r e c t p r o c e d u r e for g e t t i n g
p h y s i c a l l y r e a l i z a b l e p r o c e s s e s a m o n g t a c h y o n s is: i) t o s t a r t f r o m a n y pos-
sible p r o c e s s e s a m o n g b r a d y o n s , ii) t o a p p l y to t h e m a S u p e r l u m i n a l L o r e n t z
t r a n s f o r m a t i o n ( t h u s o b t a i n i n g a n y <~r e a l >> i n t e r a c t i o n s a m o n g t a c h y o n s ) .
A s t o t h e p o s s i b l e a p p l i c a t i o n s of t h e p r e s e n t w o r k , h e r e l e t us confine
o u r s e l v e s t o r e f e r b e s i d e s t o w h a t a l r e a d y s k e t c h e d in sect. 8 - - t o t h e h i n t s
c o n t a i n e d in ref. (1,6,9).

T h a n k s a r e d u e , for t h e k i n d c o l l a b o r a t i o n , to t)rofs. A . AGODI, :F. CATARA,

D r . L. Ir ]3ALDI~qI a n d Mrs. G. GIUFFRIDA.

9 RIASSUNT0

A causa della sun possibile rilevanza per le applieazioni alla fisica delle particelle e ai
problemi causali, in questo articolo si analizza dettagliatamente la cinematica dello
scambio di un tachione t r a due corpi A, B, per t u t t e le velocith relative possibili. I a
particolare si studiano accuratamente i due casi u" V X c2, dove u, V sono rispettivamente
le velocits del corpo B e del taehione rispetto ad A.

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