TACHYONS AND HIGHER-ORDER WAVE-EQUATIONS

We consider a fourth order wave equation having normal as well as tachyonic solutions. The propagators are, respectively, the Feynman causal function and the Wheeler-Green function (half advanced and half retarded). The latter is consistent with the elimination of tachyons from free asymptotic states. We verify the absence of absorptive parts from convolutions involving the tachyon propagator.