Is a Unified Lepton Field Possible?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of a unified lepton field and whether it is feasible to propose a single field from which different lepton types (electrons, muons, and taus) could emerge as excitations. The scope includes theoretical exploration and historical context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest the possibility of a unified lepton field where the first excitations correspond to electrons, followed by muons and taus.
  • One participant questions the concept by asking about the potential for deexcitations, specifically referencing the decay process \(\mu \rightarrow e \gamma\).
  • Another participant notes that the decay processes depend on the couplings to other fields, implying that interactions play a critical role in the behavior of such a unified field.
  • A historical perspective is introduced, mentioning Dirac membrane theory as a basis for considering a tower of excitations from a unified field.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying viewpoints on the feasibility of a unified lepton field, with no consensus reached on the validity of the proposed ideas or the implications of decay processes.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on specific couplings and the historical context of the theories mentioned, which may not fully address current theoretical frameworks.

jostpuur
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Is it reasonable to suggest the possibility, that there could be a one field, whose first excitations would be the electrons, second the myons, and third the taus?
 
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Why don't you have deexitations of the field like [itex]\mu \rightarrow e \gamma[/itex]?
 
The possible ways of decaying depend on the couplings to the other fields anyway.
 
jostpuur said:
Is it reasonable to suggest the possibility, that there could be a one field, whose first excitations would be the electrons, second the myons, and third the taus?

Historically it has been reasonable, but you expect then a whole tower of excitations. There is some literature, starting from Dirac membrane theory.
 

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