Dynamics of spinning particles in pp-wave spacetimes

Abstract

Abstract In this work, we study the dynamics of a spinning particle in pp-wave spacetimes; in particular, plane gravitational waves and impulsive shockwaves. We present a step-by-step procedure that reduces the original problem to the dynamics of the transverse coordinates, in direct analogy with geodesic motion. To achieve this, we use an appropriate spin supplementary condition, Hamiltonian formulations (including a non-minimal one), and constants of motion associated with conformal Killing fields.