Light-Cone Kaluza-Klein Geometry: Confined Propagation as a Particle Model

TL;DR

This paper proposes a modified Kaluza-Klein model where particles are confined light-like propagations forming mass, with internal degrees of freedom and potential gravitational confinement, aiming to connect higher-dimensional theories with particle properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel confinement mechanism in Kaluza-Klein theory where particles are modeled as confined light-speed propagations with internal degrees of freedom replacing the fifth dimension.

Findings

Propagation confined to small volumes forming particle-like states

Electromagnetism emerges as a gauge field on internal phase

Self-gravity could produce confinement, suggesting a link to observed particle masses

Abstract

A modified Kaluza-Klein theory is proposed in which propagation takes place only at the speed of light. The propagation can be confined to a small volume, forming a particle with rest mass. The usual four space-time coordinates locate the confinement volume, and Kaluza's fifth coordinate is replaced by an internal degree of freedom. Electromagnetism corresponds to a gauge field on the phase of the internal motion. Self-gravity might create the confinement, as in a geon, but the particle would have a Planck mass. This large mass could be made closer to the masses of observed particles if gravity were allowed to increase in strength within the confinement volume.