Two- and three-particle systems in relativistic Schrödinger theory (Q2643686)

The paper accounts for a research activity aimed at the development of a new theoretical framework pertinent to the treatment of relativistic quantum systems. The formalism, which is based on the introduction of a non-hermitian matter Hamiltonian subjected to proper integrability conditions of geometric nature, is referred as Relativistic Schrödinger Theory (RST; see e.g. [\textit{F. Stary} and \textit{M. Sorg}, Found. Phys. 36, No. 9, 1325--1403 (2006; Zbl 1110.81072)] and Refs. therein) and has been put forward starting from [\textit{M. Sorg}, ``Identities and conservation laws in relativistic Schrödinger theory,'' Nuovo Cimento B 112, 1, 23--61 (1997)]. In the paper under consideration, the authors present a detailed study of three- and two-particles systems so as to better elaborate and elucidate features and interpretations of RST with regard to exchange forces, self-interactions, and the non-relativistic limit. The paper is rather long, but old and new arguments are providentially summarized in the first section. The authors put the accent on the fact that exchange forces among particles emerge -- or are suppressed -- dynamically within the framework since RST is a relativistic gauge theory where the system gauge potential mediates two types of forces to particles: a certain part of the gauge connection accounts for external sources, whereas the remaining part is due to the particles composing the system and refers to exchange forces among them. The authors accomplish the self-interactions point by arguing that these are automatically included within RST while specifying fiber metric. The way the self-interaction mechanism reveals itself is inferred as a consequence of a back action on the system of the total gauge potential which modifies the external gauge potential. Finally the authors revise a previous claim about the equivalence of the nonrelativistic limit of RST and the Hartree-Fock approach [see \textit{P. Schust, M. Mattes} and \textit{M. Sorg}, Found. Phys. 34, No. 1, 99--167 (2004; Zbl 1059.81025)]. The new perspective they gain here is that the presumption of the uniqueness wave functions, implicit in previous analysis, can be safely abandoned and in the non-relativistic limit this results into equations different from the Hartree-Fock ones; according to the authors, ``this opens the possibility that the non-relativistic limit of RST may come closer to the Standard Schrödinger theory as does the Hartree-Fock approach''. The derivation of the new eigenvalue equations for the positronium problem is thus carried out by considering double valued spinors as the proper relevant fields, but the reader is left without a concrete message about the net consequences of the proposal since the explicit characterization of solutions, and thus any possibility to concrete test of physical predictions they would lead to, are postponed to another paper. It is not surprising if readers will find the authors' statement above quoted rather speculative at this stage. The authors clearly expound and reproduce their new and old arguments and convictions to enable a good (or improved) perception of ideas and mathematics underlying the RST formalism regardless (or than) any possible previous reading on the topic. But it is likely that a reader will still have the feeling that, concerning the whole matter, there could be something obscure or missing at a basic level that goes beyond all computational details he has been provided, and whose bringing it to light would allow him to better assess on RST ``not only with respect to its practical usefulness but also with respect to its intrinsic mathematical structure and physical plausibility''. Generally critical readers will definitively find the enthusiasm and the emphasis all along the paper not well suited if compared to the actual status of art of the formalism, both as for its present comprehension, as for the apparent lack of irrefutable evidences, and as for its effectiveness.