Chiral approach to massive higher spins

Abstract

We propose a new, chiral description for massive higher-spin particles in four spacetime dimensions, which facilitates the introduction of consistent interactions. As proof of concept, we formulate three theories, in which higher-spin matter is coupled to electrodynamics, non-Abelian gauge theory or gravity. The theories are chiral and have simple Lagrangians, resulting in Feynman rules analogous to those of massive scalars. Starting from these Feynman rules, we derive tree-level scattering amplitudes with two higher-spin matter particles and any number of positive-helicity photons, gluons or gravitons. The amplitudes reproduce the arbitrary-multiplicity results that were obtained via on-shell recursion in a parity-conserving setting, and which chiral and non-chiral theories thus have in common. The presented theories are currently the only examples of consistent interacting field theories with massive higher-spin fields.