Massless spin 2 field in 50-component approach: exact solutions with cylindrical symmetry, eliminating the guage degrees of freedom

Abstract

We begin with some known results of the 50-component theory for a spin-2 field described in cylindrical coordinates. This theory is based on the use of a 2nd-rank symmetric tensor and a 3rd-rank tensor symmetric in two indices. In the massive case, this theory describes a spin-2 particle with an anomalous magnetic moment. According to the Fedorov – Gronskiy method, which is based on projective operators, all 50 functions involved in the description of the spin-2 field for the case of the free particle can be expressed in terms of only 7 different functions constructed from Bessel functions. This leads to a homogeneous system of linear algebraic equations for 50 numerical parameters. We have found 6 independent solutions to these equations. Additionally, we have obtained explicit expressions for 4 guage solutions defined in accordance with the Pauli – Fierz approach. These solutions are exact and correspond to non-physical states that do not affect observable quantities, such as the energy-momentum tensor. Finally, we have constructed two classes of solutions that represent physically observable states.