Group Contractions: Inonu, Wigner, and Einstein

Abstract

Einstein's $E = mc^{2}$ unifies the momentum-energy relations for massive and massless particles. According to Wigner, the internal space-time symmetries of massive and massless particles are isomorphic to $O(3)$ and $E(2)$ respectively. According to Inonu and Wigner, $O(3)$ can be contracted to $E(2)$ in the large-radius limit. It is noted that the $O(3)$-like little group for massive particles can be contracted to the $E(2)$-like little group for massless particles in the limit of large momentum and/or small mass. It is thus shown that transverse rotational degrees of freedom for massive particles become contracted to gauge degrees of freedom for massless particles.