Representation Theory of SO(4, 1) and E(3, 1): An Explicit Spinor Calculus

Abstract

The explicit spinor basis states for the irreducible unitary representations of the spinor covering group of the de Sitter group SO(4, 1) are obtained by analytic continuation from those of the compact group Sp(4). Some features of the contraction of these basis states to those of the Poincaré group are discussed; the explicit asymptotic form of the basis state of a continuous representation of SO(4, 1) in the limit of the contraction to a basis state of a finite‐mass discrete‐spin representation of E(3, 1) is investigated.