Pseudoscalar current of Majorana fields

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of a Majorana spinor and the invariance of a pseudoscalar current formed from it, specifically examining the expression ##\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi##. Participants explore the implications of hermitian conjugation and the treatment of Grassmann numbers within this context.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the expression for a Majorana spinor and questions the invariance of the pseudoscalar current under hermitian conjugation.
  • Another participant suggests that the original poster has overlooked the implications of Grassmann numbers, indicating a potential sign error and the need to separate ##\phi^\dagger## and ##\phi^c##.
  • A further contribution discusses the treatment of spinor indices and the commutation of Grassmann numbers in the product ##\phi\phi##, questioning if the original assertion is incorrect.
  • A participant identifies an error in their previous reasoning regarding the hermitian conjugation of the current, leading to a conclusion that the sum of the current and its hermitian conjugate equals zero.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants engage in a debate regarding the treatment of Grassmann numbers and the implications for the invariance of the current. While one participant acknowledges an error, the discussion does not reach a consensus on the broader implications of the findings.

Contextual Notes

The discussion involves assumptions about the properties of Grassmann numbers and the conventions used for defining Majorana spinors, which may not be universally agreed upon.

Andrea M.
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Consider a Majorana spinor
$$
\Phi=\left(\begin{array}{c}\phi\\\phi^\dagger\end{array}\right)
$$
and an pseudoscalar current ##\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi##. This term is invariant under hermitian conjugation:
$$
\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi\to\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi
$$
but if I exploit the two component structure
$$
\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi=-\phi\phi+\phi^\dagger\phi^\dagger
$$
the invariance under hermitian conjugation seems lost
$$
-\phi\phi+\phi^\dagger\phi^\dagger\to\phi\phi-\phi^\dagger\phi^\dagger
$$
Where is the catch?
 
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Andrea M. said:
Where is the catch?
You are forgetting that you are dealing with Grassmann numbers and therefore miss a minus sign (in addition to not separating ##\phi^\dagger## and ##\phi^c## ...).
 
Orodruin said:
You are forgetting that you are dealing with Grassmann numbers and therefore miss a minus sign (in addition to not separating ##\phi^\dagger## and ##\phi^c## ...).
Writing down the spinor indices the product ##\phi\phi## becomes
$$
\phi\phi=\phi^\alpha\phi_\alpha=\phi^\alpha\epsilon_{\alpha\beta}\phi^\beta
$$
the component ##\phi^\alpha## are Grassmann numbers but the product ##\phi\phi## should commute, am I wrong?
For the difference between ##\phi^\dagger## and ##\phi^c## I'm using the conventions of this review, so I have that
$$
\Psi=\left(\begin{array}{c}\chi_\alpha\\\eta^{\dot\alpha\dagger}\end{array}\right)\quad\quad\bar\Psi=\left(\eta^\alpha,\chi_{\dot\alpha}^{\dagger}\right)\quad\quad\Psi^c=\left(\begin{array}{c}\eta_\alpha\\\chi^{\dot\alpha\dagger}\end{array}\right)
$$
 
Last edited:
Ok, i found the (silly) error:
$$
\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi=\Phi^\dagger\gamma^0\gamma^5\Phi
$$ so under hermitian conjugation this becomes
$$
\Phi^\dagger\gamma^5\gamma^0\Phi=-\Phi^\dagger\gamma^0\gamma^5\Phi=-\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi
$$
that imply
$$
\bar\Phi\gamma^5\Phi+h.c.=0
$$
the same result that we found exploiting the two component structure. Correct?
 

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