2024/09/04 by Alessandro Santoni, Santoni, Alessandro
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) #High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph) #High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th) #Relativity and Gravitational Theory
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2409.03104
openalex publication_date 2024/09/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In this thesis, we investigate the implications of Lorentz-violating (LV) theories, focusing on Very Special Relativity (VSR) and its phenomenological consequences. Initially presented as an alternative mechanism for neutrino masses, VSR has since become a significant part of the general LV framework, distinguished by its unique group structure and non-local operators. After a comprehensive introduction to the principles of LV and VSR, we present the corresponding modifications to the Dirac equation. A significant part of the thesis is dedicated to the development of a Hamiltonian formalism within the VSR context, addressing its inherent non-localities. This approach is further extended to the non-relativistic limit, connecting it to the conventional Schrödinger picture. We then set upper bounds on the VSR parameters by examining its corrections to a wide range of physical systems and scenarios, such as Landau levels of charged particles, the \mathsf g-factor of electrons, the energy spectrum of ultracold neutrons in Earth's gravitational field, and the gravitational emission from binary stars. The latter analysis led us to the construction of a VSR field theory for spin-2 fields in flat space, which was surprisingly found to accommodate a gauge-invariant graviton mass. Through this comprehensive study, we bridged theoretical predictions with experimental data, paving the way for future explorations in Lorentz-violating theories and highlighting their potential to address unresolved questions in modern physics.