We have a D dimensional flat minkowskian spacetime, and a field theory with Tμν symmetric, traceless (Tμμ=0) and conserved (∂μTμν=0). We also assume that the operator E=∫dD−1xT00
is well defined and semi-positive definite. Given a state
|Φ⟩, consider
E(t,x)≡⟨Φ|T00(t,x)|Φ⟩ .
Show that for all positive energy state
|Φ⟩ the average square radius of the region in which
E is not zero grows with time at a speed which rapidly approaches the speed of light.
Now, this theory is scale-invariant (due to tracelessness of the energy-momentum tensor), thus intuitively I expect that its excitations should be massless and therefore travel at the speed of light. However, I cannot find a way to prove it formally.
I should stress that this problem was not given to me as a homework, but it has been part of the admission PhD test in SISSA, in 2014. It can be found in their web page.