Galilean covariance and non-relativistic Bhabha equations

Abstract

We apply a five-dimensional formulation of Galilean covariance to construct non-relativistic Bhabha first-order wave equations which, depending on the representation, correspond either to the well known Dirac equation (for particles with spin 1/2) or the Duffin-Kemmer-Petiau equation (for spinless and spin 1 particles). Here the irreducible representations belong to the Lie algebra of the `de Sitter group' in 4+1 dimensions, SO(5,1). Using this approach, the non-relativistic limits of the corresponding equations are obtained directly, without taking any low-velocity approximation. As a simple illustration, we discuss the harmonic oscillator.