Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms for relativistic dynamics of a charged particle with dipole moment

The Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations for the relativistic classical dynamics of a charged particle with dipole moment in the presence of an electromagnetic field are given. The differential conservation laws for the energy-momentum and angular momentum tensors of a field and particle are discussed. The Poisson brackets for basic dynamic variables, which form a closed algebra, are found. These Poisson brackets enable us to perform the canonical quantization of the Hamiltonian equations that leads to the Dirac wave equation in the case of spin 1/2. It is also shown that the classical limit of the squared Dirac equation results in equations of motion for a charged particle with dipole moment obtained from the Lagrangian formulation. The inclusion of gravitational field and non-Abelian gauge fields into the proposed formalism is discussed.Received: 4 June 2005, Published online: 27 July 2005     

Hamiltonian Formulation and Action Principle for the Lorentz-Dirac System

The possibility of constructing a Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation is examined for a radiating point-like charge usually described by the classical Lorentz-Dirac equation. It turns out that the latter equation cannot be obtained from the variational principle, and, furthermore, has nonphysical solutions. It is proposed to consider a physically equivalent set of reduced equations which admit a Hamiltonian formulation with non-canonical Poisson brackets. As an example, the effective dynamics of a non-relativistic particle moving in a homogeneous magnetic field is considered. The proposed Hamiltonian formulation may be considered as a first step to a consistent quantization of the Lorentz-Dirac system.     

A Note on the Equivalence of Post-Newtonian Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Formulations

Recently,it has been generally claimed that a low order post-Newtonian(PN)Lagrangian formulation,whose Euler-Lagrange equations are up to an infinite PN order,can be identical to a PN Hamiltonian formulation at the infinite order from a theoretical point of view.In general,this result is difficult to check because the detailed expressions of the Euler-Lagrange equations and the equivalent Hamiltonian at the infinite order are clearly unknown.However,there is no difficulty in some cases.In fact,this claim is shown analytically by means of a special first-order post-Newtonian(1PN)Lagrangian formulation of relativistic circular restricted three-body problem,where both the Euler-Lagrange equations and the equivalent Hamiltonian are not only expanded to all PN orders,but have converged functions.It is also shown numerically that both the Euler-Lagrange equations of the low order Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian are equivalent only at high enough finite orders.     

Towards the deformation quantization of linearized gravity

We present a first attempt to apply the approach of deformation quantization to linearized Einstein's equations. We use the analogy with Maxwell equations to derive the field equations of linearized gravity from a modified Maxwell Lagrangian which allows the construction of a Hamiltonian in the standard way. The deformation quantization procedure for free fields is applied to this Hamiltonian. As a result we obtain the complete set of quantum states and the discrete energy spectrum of linearized gravity.     

BRST analysis of general mechanical systems

We study the groups of local BRST cohomology associated to the general systems of ordinary differential equations, not necessarily Lagrangian or Hamiltonian. Starting with the involutive normal form of the equations, we explicitly compute certain cohomology groups having clear physical meaning. These include the groups of global symmetries, conservation laws and Lagrange structures. It is shown that the space of integrable Lagrange structures is naturally isomorphic to the space of weak Poisson brackets. The last fact allows one to establish a direct link between the path-integral quantization of general not necessarily variational dynamics by means of Lagrange structures and the deformation quantization of weak Poisson brackets.     

THE PROBLEM OF MOTION IN THE KALUZA THEORY

It is shown that the equations of motion for a charged massive particle are consequences of the field equations in Kaluza unification theory of gravitation and electromagnetism, i.e., the equations of motion for the particle can be deduced from Kaluza field equations, just as that in Einstein's theory of motion of general relativity the equations of motion for a massive particle are consequences of the Einstein equations. Furthermore, the Lorentz equations for a particle maving in the Maxwell electromagnetic field on the Minkowskian space-time can also be obtained from the Maxwell equations by means of the Kaluze mechanism of the Maxwell theory.     

应用哈密顿公式研究傍轴光学系统

论述用Ｌ定义光学的哈密顿Ｈ，并给出哈密顿公式的基本方程式，利用哈密顿方程式，在旋转对称的光学系统里追迹光线，并利用哈密顿公式得到折射面和透镜的简单结果。最后通过举例说明这个方法是可行的。     

Plane rotations and Hamilton—Dirac mechanics

Canonical formalism for SO(2) is developed. This group can be seen as a toy model of the Hamilton-Dirac mechanics with constraints. The Lagrangian and Hamiltonian are explicitly constructed and their physical interpretations are given. The Euler-Lagrange and Hamiltonian canonical equations coincide with the Lie equations. It is shown that the constraints satisfy CCR. Consistency of the constraints is checked. Presented at the International Colloquium “Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries”, Prague, 16–18 June 2005.     

Number-phase quantization of a mesoscopic RLC circuit

With the help of the time-dependent Lagrangian for a damped harmonic oscillator, the quantization of mesoscopic RLC circuit in the context of a number-phase quantization scheme is realized and the corresponding Hamiltonian operator is obtained. Then the evolution of the charge number and phase difference across the capacity are obtained. It is shown that the number-phase analysis is useful to tackle the quantization of some mesoscopic circuits and dynamical equations of the corresponding operators.     

Inverse problem of the variational calculus for higher KdV equations

It is shown that the usual Hamilton's variational principle supplemented by the methodology of the integer-programming problem can be used to construct expressions for the Lagrangian densities of higher KdV fields. This is demonstrated with special emphasis on the second and third members of the hierarchy. However, the method is general enough for applications to equations of any order. The expressions for Lagrangian densities are used to calculate results for Hamiltonian densities that characterize Zakharov-Faddeev-Gardner equation. Received 27 January 2002 / Received in final form 6 May 2002 Published online 24 September 2002     

Solutions of the Maxwell equations and photon wave functions

Properties of six-component electromagnetic field solutions of a matrix form of the Maxwell equations, analogous to the four-component solutions of the Dirac equation, are described. It is shown that the six-component equation, including sources, is invariant under Lorentz transformations. Complete sets of eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian for the electromagnetic fields, which may be interpreted as photon wave functions, are given both for plane waves and for angular-momentum eigenstates. Rotationally invariant projection operators are used to identify transverse or longitudinal electric and magnetic fields. For plane waves, the velocity transformed transverse wave functions are also transverse, and the velocity transformed longitudinal wave functions include both longitudinal and transverse components. A suitable sum over these eigenfunctions provides a Green function for the matrix Maxwell equation, which can be expressed in the same covariant form as the Green function for the Dirac equation. Radiation from a dipole source and from a Dirac atomic transition current are calculated to illustrate applications of the Maxwell Green function.     

On the probabilistic treatment of fields

Some basic problems of the probabilistic treatment of fields are considered, proceeding from the fundamentals of the complete probability theory. Two essentially equivalent definitions of random fields related to continuous objects are suggested. It is explained why the conventional classical probabilistic treatment generally is inapplicable to fields in principle. Two types of finite-dimensional random variables created by random fields are compared. Some general regularities related to Lagrangian and Hamiltonian partial equations, obtainable proceeding from the corresponding sets of ordinary differential equations, are revealed by using the functional derivative defined anew. It is shown that Hamiltonian random fields give rise to two types of Hamiltonian random variables, variables of the second type being those considered in the author's previous paper and immediately suited to the quantum approach. The results obtained are illustrated by some general examples. Critical remarks concerning second quantization are made, demonstrating the artificiality of this method. It is emphasized that the given probabilistic consideration of fields cannot be directly applied to, for instance, the electromagnetic field, which needs a special treatment.     

Inverse Variational Problem for Nonlinear Evolution Equations

The Helmholtz solution of the inverse problem for the variational calculus is used to study the analytic or Lagrangian structure of a number of nonlinear evolution equations. The quasilinear equations in the KdV hierarchy constitute a Lagrangian system. On the other hand, evolution equations with nonlinear dispersive terms (FNE) are non-Lagrangian. However, the method of Helmholtz can be judiciously exploited to construct Lagrangian system of such equations. In all cases the derived Lagrangians are gauge equivalent to those obtained earlier by the use of Hamilton’s variational principle supplemented by the methodology of integer-programming problem. The free Hamiltonian densities associated with the so-called gauge equivalent Lagrangians yield the equation of motion via a new canonical equation similar to that of Zakharov, Faddeev and Gardner. It is demonstrated that the Lagrangian system of FNE equations supports compacton solutions.PACS: 47.20.Ky; 42.81.Dp     

Cherenkov interaction of vortices with a free surface

The interaction of vortex filaments in an ideal incompressible fluid with the free surface of the latter is investigated in the canonical formalism. A Hamiltonian formulation of the equations of motion is given in terms of both canonical and noncanonical Poisson brackets. The relationship between these two approaches is analyzed. The Lagrangian of the system and the Poisson brackets are obtained in terms of vortex lines, making it possible to study the dynamics of thin vortex filaments with allowance for finite thickness of the filaments. For two-dimensional flows exact equations of motion describing the interaction of point vortices and surface waves are derived by transformation to conformal variables. Asymptotic steady-state solutions are found for a vortex moving at a velocity lower than the minimum phase velocity of surface waves. It is found that discrete coupled states of surface waves above a vortex are possible by virtue of the inhomogeneous Doppler effect. At velocities higher than the minimum phase velocity the buoyant rise of a vortex as a result of Cherenkov radiation is described in the semiclassical limit. The instability of a vortex filament against three-dimensional kink perturbations due to interaction with the “image” vortex is demonstrated. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 894–919 (March 1999)     

Hamiltonian fluid reductions of electromagnetic drift-kinetic equations for an arbitrary number of moments

We present an infinite family of Hamiltonian electromagnetic fluid models for plasmas, derived from drift-kinetic equations. An infinite hierarchy of fluid equations is obtained from a Hamiltonian drift-kinetic system by taking moments of a generalized distribution function and using Hermite polynomials as weight functions of the velocity coordinate along the magnetic guide field. Each fluid model is then obtained by truncating the hierarchy to a finite number N+1$N+1$ of equations by means of a closure relation. We show that, for any positive N$N$, a linear closure relation between the moment of order N+1$N+1$ and the moment of order N$N$ guarantees that the resulting fluid model possesses a Hamiltonian structure, thus respecting the Hamiltonian character of the parent drift-kinetic model. An orthogonal transformation is identified which maps the fluid moments to a new set of dynamical variables in terms of which the Poisson brackets of the fluid models become a direct sum and which unveils remarkable dynamical properties of the models in the two-dimensional (2D) limit. Indeed, when imposing translational symmetry with respect to the direction of the magnetic guide field, all models belonging to the infinite family can be reformulated as systems of advection equations for Lagrangian invariants transported by incompressible generalized velocities. These are reminiscent of the advection properties of the parent drift-kinetic model in the 2D limit and are related to the Casimirs of the Poisson brackets of the fluid models. The Hamiltonian structure of the generic fluid model belonging to the infinite family is illustrated treating a specific example of a fluid model retaining five moments in the electron dynamics and two in the ion dynamics. We also clarify the connection existing between the fluid models of this infinite family and some fluid models already present in the literature.     

The generalized Einstein-Maxwell theory of gravitation

A new Lagrangian theory of gravitation in which the metric and the arbitrary affine connection are regarded as independent field variables has been considered. Making use of the pure geometrical objects only from the variational principle the empty field equations are derived. It is shown that the metric obeys the ordinary Einstein equations of general relativity. However, the covariant derivative of the metric tensor does not vanish, so that the vector's length is generally nonintegrable under the parallel displacement. The torsion trace vector turns out to be the natural dynamical variable, satisfying the Maxwell-like equations with tensor of homothetic curvature as the Maxwell tensor. The equations of motion are explored; they are shown to be identical to the motion of electric charge under the Lorentz force. The conservation laws are discussed.     

The Hamiltonian formulation of regular rth-order Lagrangian field theories

A Hamiltonian formulation of regular rth-order Lagrangian field theories over an m-dimensional manifold is presented in terms of the Hamilton-Cartan formalism. It is demonstrated that a uniquely determined Cartan m-form may be associated to an rth-order Lagrangian by imposing conditions of congruence modulo a suitably defined system of contact m-forms. A geometric regularity condition is given and it is shown that, for a regular Lagrangian, the momenta defined by the Hamilton-Cartan formalism, together with the coordinates on the (r−1)st-order jet bundle, are a minimal set of local coordinates needed to express the Euler-Lagrange equations. When r is greater than one, the number of variables required is strictly less than the dimension of the (2r−1)st order jet bundle. It is shown that, in these coordinates, the Euler-Lagrange equations take the first-order Hamiltonian form given by de Donder. It is also shown that the geometrically natural generalization of the Hamilton-Jacobi procedure for finding extremals is equivalent to de Donder's Hamilton-Jacobi equation. Research supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.