- #1
nomadreid
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In the following article
http://books.google.com/books?id=u1...&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
it states,
"massless gauge particles...can have only two independent states of polarization...but the ...massive gauge particles ...have three independent states of polarization...(the difference in the number of polarization states for massive and massless particles of the same spin is a relativistic effect.)" (my emphasis)
Could someone briefly explain, not too technically, what relativistic effect is being referred to, and how it accounts for the extra polarization state?
http://books.google.com/books?id=u1...&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
it states,
"massless gauge particles...can have only two independent states of polarization...but the ...massive gauge particles ...have three independent states of polarization...(the difference in the number of polarization states for massive and massless particles of the same spin is a relativistic effect.)" (my emphasis)
Could someone briefly explain, not too technically, what relativistic effect is being referred to, and how it accounts for the extra polarization state?