How do I calculate this Poisson bracket in QED?

In summary, to calculate a certain Dirac bracket, the Poisson bracket must be calculated, which is defined as the integral of the functional derivatives of two functionals. The conjugate to the vector potential, Pi, is equal to the time derivative of the vector potential plus the gradient of the scalar potential, A^0. Using the definition of the Poisson bracket, the attempt at a solution involved plugging in the values and using integration by parts, but ultimately resulted in a symmetric relationship between the functional derivatives of Pi and A.
  • #1
0celo7
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Homework Statement


To calculate a certain Dirac bracket I need to calculate this Poisson bracket (Weinberg QTF 1 p.349 first eq.)
$$[F,\Pi_i(\mathbf{z})]_P$$
where F is any functional of matter fields and their conjugates and pi is the conjugate to the vector potential. It should be zero.

Homework Equations


The Poisson bracket for two functionals is defined as
$$[U,V]_P=\int d^3x\left[\frac{\delta U}{\delta A^i(\mathbf{x})}\frac{\delta V}{\delta \Pi_i(\mathbf{x})}-\frac{\delta V}{\delta A^i(\mathbf{x})}\frac{\delta U}{\delta \Pi_i(\mathbf{x})}\right]$$
$$\boldsymbol{\Pi}=\dot{\mathbf{A}}+\nabla A^0$$
$$\nabla\cdot\mathbf{A}=0$$
$$\nabla\cdot\boldsymbol{\Pi}=-J^0=\nabla^2 A^0$$

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried plugging things into the definition of the Poisson bracket:
$$[F,\Pi_i(\mathbf{z})]_P=\int d^3x\left[\frac{\delta F}{\delta A^j(\mathbf{x})}\frac{\delta \Pi_i(\mathbf{z})}{\delta \Pi_j(\mathbf{x})}-\frac{\delta \Pi_i(\mathbf{z})}{\delta A^j(\mathbf{x})}\frac{\delta F}{\delta \Pi_j(\mathbf{x})}\right]=\int d^3x\left[\frac{\delta F}{\delta A^j(\mathbf{x})}\delta_{ij}\delta^3(\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{z})-\text{something}\right]$$
I'm not sure what the something is, but it has to be δF/δA(x) for the PB to vanish. Since these are variational derivatives and not straight partials, I reasoned that from the above definition of ∏, a variation of A causes a variation in ∏ like
$$\delta \Pi^i(\mathbf{z})=\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\delta A^i(\mathbf{z})$$
so the variational derivative is
$$\frac{\delta \Pi_i(\mathbf{z})}{\delta A^j(\mathbf{x})}=\delta_{ij}\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\delta^3(\mathbf{z}-\mathbf{x})$$
This is zero and not at all what I'm looking for. Integration by parts does not help here either.
 
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  • #2
So I was thinking chain rule. Say I have the variational derivative δF/δA(x) and I expand in terms of ∏ derivatives:
$$\frac{\delta F}{\delta A^i}=\frac{\delta \Pi_j}{\delta A^i}\frac{\delta F}{\delta \Pi_j}$$
Of course the sum goes over the ∏s. But in the OP i calculated the variational derivative of ∏ w.r.t. A:
$$\frac{\delta\Pi_j(\mathbf{x})}{\delta A^i(\mathbf{z})}=\delta_{ji}\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\delta^3(\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{z})$$
But the delta tensor and function are symmetric w.r.t. index and argument permutation, so the following equality holds (maybe):
$$\frac{\delta\Pi_j(\mathbf{x})}{\delta A^i(\mathbf{z})}=\frac{\delta \Pi^i(\mathbf{z})}{\delta A^j(\mathbf{x})}$$
I think this is right.
 

1. What is a Poisson bracket in QED?

A Poisson bracket is a mathematical operation used in quantum electrodynamics (QED) to calculate the commutation relations between two observables. It is defined as the anticommutator of the two observables divided by the imaginary unit i.

2. How do I calculate a Poisson bracket in QED?

To calculate a Poisson bracket in QED, you first need to determine the observables you want to use. Then, use the formula: [A,B] = (AB-BA)/i, where A and B are the observables. The resulting value is the Poisson bracket of A and B.

3. What is the significance of the Poisson bracket in QED?

The Poisson bracket is a fundamental tool in QED that helps determine the evolution of a quantum system over time. It is used to calculate the commutation relations between observables, which are important for understanding the behavior of particles in quantum systems.

4. Can the Poisson bracket in QED be calculated for any two observables?

Yes, the Poisson bracket can be calculated for any two observables in QED. However, it is important to note that not all observables will have a non-zero Poisson bracket. This is because the commutation relations between observables depend on the specific system being studied.

5. How does the Poisson bracket relate to other mathematical operations in QED?

The Poisson bracket is closely related to other mathematical operations in QED, such as the commutator and anticommutator. In fact, the Poisson bracket can be seen as a generalization of the commutator to non-commuting observables. Additionally, the Poisson bracket is used in the Hamiltonian formulation of QED, which is a way of describing the dynamics of a quantum system.

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