25 questions linked to/from Idea of Covering Group
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$SO(3)$, $SU(2)$ and symmetries in quantum mechanics [duplicate]

A rotation in the vector space $\mathbb{R}^3$ is represented by the known 3x3-matrices. But at this point I'm really confused how to get from there to Quantum Mechanics. The group of $\mathrm{SO}(3)$...
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The role of SO(3) and SU(2) in quantum mechanics [duplicate]

When studying the irreducible representations of SO(3) one usually looks at the irreps of the infinitesimal rotations instead, i.e. the ones of so(3), the Lie Algebra of SO(3). The Irreps of so(3) can ...
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The universal covering group of a symmetry group [duplicate]

In Weinberg QFT Vol.1, it says one can enlarge the symmetry group $H$ to the universal covering group $C$ such that one obtains a trivial cocycle or $C$ is simply connected whereas $H$ is not. I get ...
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Why do we study the projective representations of SO(3) in the context of the theory of angular momentum? [duplicate]

I have been studying the group theoretic formalism of quantum mechanics and I have yet to find a satisfying explanation for the need for projective representations in the theory of angular momentum. I ...
867 views

Why gauge $SU(N)$ and not $SO(N)$?

When building models people typically gauge $SU(N)$ but rarely try to gauge $SO(N)$ (the only example I know about is $SO(10)$, but even that isn't quite $SO(10)$ but actually its double cover). At ...
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What is the physical significance of the double connectivity of $\rm SO(3)$ group manifold?

Is there any physical significance of the fact that the group manifold (parameter space) of $SO(3)$ is doubly connected? There exists two equivalence classes of paths in the group manifold of SO(3) ...
681 views

Can a spinor be defined as any quantity which transforms linearly under Lorentz transformations?

Recently I’ve come across a few papers from China (e.g. Xiang-Yao Wu et al., arXiv:1212.4028v1 14 Dec 2012) that make the following statement: ...any quantity which transforms linearly under ...
1k views

Complex numbers in quantum mechanics and in special relativity

Is there a physical relation between the use of complex numbers for the wavefunction in (non-relativistic) quantum mechanics and in special relativity (as formulated in the setting of Minkowski space)?...
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Scalar field transformation and generators

When we do a transformation (norm preserving one) for a given quantity, from what I have understood it seems like there is a representation of the group element for each quantity depending how they ...
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Why do we look at the representations of $SO(3)$ in QM?

I have a bit of an understanding issue why the representations of $SO(3)$ are so important for Quantum Mechanics. When looking at its Irreps one gets the Spin and Angular Momentum operators and thus ...
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How does $SU(2)$ group enters quantum mechanics?

What is the reason that $SU(2)$ group enters quantum mechanics in the context of rotation but not $SO(3)$? What really rotates and which space it rotates? It cannot be the physical electron that ...
379 views

What guarantees the existence of unitary operators implementing Lorentz Transformations?

This should be a very basic question. In introductory QFT books, often one of the first things we see is the following claim: for every Lorentz transformation $\Lambda$, we can associate an unitary ...
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Helicity quantization of massless particles

In Appendix B of QFT in a nutshell by Zee, a review of group theory is given. In the last paragraph of the appendix on page 533, he briefly discusses the helicity quantization of massless particles. ...
This may be an unenlightening question, but I'm just not sure about the result and hoping someone can help me varify it. $\\$ This question is related to these three questions. $\\$ I want to ...