START in a five-dimensional conformal domain (Q1929917)

In this work the compactified Minkowski space is described as a four dimensional boundary between five dimensional domains \(\Sigma_{+}\) and \(\Sigma_{-}\), both being pseudo-Riemannian submanifolds of the projective space \({\mathbf P}(\mathbb{R}^{4,2})\) of signature \((3,2)\) and \((4,1)\) respectively and with isometry group \(\mathsf{O}(4,2)\). In this way the compactified Minkowski space inherits a conformal structure of signature \((3,1)\) where \(\mathsf{SO}(4,2)\) is the conformal group. The topology of the domains \(\Sigma_{\pm}\) is described and geodesics and curvature are computed. Applications to the Space-Time-Action-Relativity Theory (START) elaborated by \textit{J. Keller} [Adv. Appl. Clifford Algebr. 18, No. 3--4, 771--805 (2008; Zbl 1181.81066)] are feasible; this theory supports the five-dimensional (5-D) formulation of physics. Finally a discussion on the contributions of \textit{Ju. B. Rumer} to the development of 5-D physics [Studies on 5-Optics. (Russian). Moskau: Staatsverlag für technisch-theoretische Literatur (1956; Zbl 0072.21504)] is presented.