A Model Independent Ultraviolet Cutoff for Theories with Charged Massive Higher Spin Fields

TL;DR

This paper establishes a universal upper limit on the ultraviolet cutoff for theories involving massive charged higher spin fields, based on their spin, mass, and charge, with implications for their consistency and causality.

Contribution

It introduces a model-independent method to determine the maximum UV cutoff for charged higher spin fields using the Stueckelberg formalism and generalizes the results for arbitrary spin.

Findings

Derived an explicit formula for the UV cutoff as a function of spin, mass, and charge.

Showed the cutoff is finite and model-independent for higher spin charged fields.

Discussed how causality constraints can further refine the cutoff limits.

Abstract

We argue that the theory of a massive higher spin field coupled to electromagnetism in flat space possesses an intrinsic, model independent, finite upper bound on its UV cutoff. By employing the Stueckelberg formalism we do a systematic study to quantify the degree of singularity of the massless limit in the cases of spin 2, 3, 3/2, and 5/2. We then generalize the results for arbitrary spin to find an expression for the maximum cutoff of the theory as a function of the particle's mass, spin, and electric charge. We also briefly explain the physical implications of the result and discuss how it could be sharpened by use of causality constraints.