A reduction of the Kemmer equation and the singular behaviour of integer-spin relativistic Hamiltonians

Abstract

A reduced form of the Kemmer equation for spin one particles is derived, wherein the wave function, which has no redundant components, transforms locally (unlike in earlier reductions). The reduced Hamiltonian is identical to the spin one specialisation of the general integer-spin Hamiltonian obtained from recent investigations on second quantizable relativistic wave equations having the Hamiltonian form. It is an observation from the present analysis that while the reduced equation is well defined for the non-zero helicity projections of the wave function, the first time derivative of the zero helicity part of the reduced wave function is essentially undefined (much as if this part described a scalar particle). This helps to explain the “improper” nature of the general Hamiltonian for integer spin.