What is the parity inversion of antisymmetric tensor

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of parity inversion in relation to the antisymmetric tensor. The antisymmetric tensor is a "totally antisymmetric tensor" that follows a specific rule for its components. It is invariant under parity inversion, meaning that its components do not change when the coordinate system is flipped. This can be verified by considering the determinant of the coordinate transformation, which remains -1 after a parity flip, indicating that the antisymmetric tensor is indeed inverted.
  • #1
genxium
141
2
First by antisymmetric tensor I mean the "totally antisymmetric tensor" like this:

##\epsilon^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta} = \left\{ \begin{array}{clcl} +1 \;\; \text{when superscripts form an even permutation of 1,2,3,4} \\ -1 \;\; \text{when superscripts form an odd permutation of 1,2,3,4} \\ 0 \;\; otherwise \end{array} \right.##

You may refer to this link for more information about pseudo tensors: http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/em/lectures/node120.html

I'm ok with that 3-vectors, 4-vectors are invariant under parity inversion. However I'm confused by WHAT IS THE PARITY INVERSION of antisymmetric tensor? There's NO COORDINATE in it.

Any help is appreciated :)
 
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  • #2
The answer is basically already in the link you posted. It relates the components in the new system to the determinant of the coordinate transformation. What happens with the determinant if you make a parity flip?
 
  • #3
Hi @Orodruin, do you mean that to verify whether parity inversion changes the antisymmetric tensor I can perform sth like:

##\left\{ \begin{array}{cl} \frac{\partial x'}{\partial x}=-1 \\ \frac{\partial y'}{\partial y}=-1 \\ \frac{\partial z'}{\partial z}=-1 \end{array} \right.## and ##J(parity \; inversion) = \left[ \begin{array}{clclcl} \frac{\partial x'}{\partial x} & \frac{\partial x'}{\partial y} & \frac{\partial x'}{\partial z} \\ \frac{\partial y'}{\partial x} & \frac{\partial y'}{\partial y} & \frac{\partial y'}{\partial z} \\ \frac{\partial z'}{\partial x} & \frac{\partial z'}{\partial y} & \frac{\partial z'}{\partial z} \end{array} \right]##

Thus ##det(J) = -1## implies that antisymmetric tensor is inverted after the parity inversion?
 

What is the parity inversion of antisymmetric tensor?

The parity inversion of an antisymmetric tensor is a mathematical operation that involves reversing the sign of all the elements in a tensor. This operation is also known as a "parity transformation" or a "parity flip".

What does it mean for a tensor to be antisymmetric?

An antisymmetric tensor is a type of mathematical object that has the property of changing sign when any two indices are swapped. In other words, if you switch the values of two indices in an antisymmetric tensor, the resulting tensor will have the opposite sign as the original.

How is the parity inversion of an antisymmetric tensor related to the concept of parity?

The parity inversion of an antisymmetric tensor is a specific example of a parity transformation, which is a mathematical operation that changes the sign of a physical quantity. In the case of the antisymmetric tensor, the sign of the tensor is flipped, while for other quantities (such as position or momentum), the sign of the quantity itself is flipped.

What are some real-world applications of the parity inversion of antisymmetric tensor?

The concept of parity inversion and antisymmetric tensors have applications in various fields such as quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and fluid dynamics. For example, in quantum mechanics, the parity transformation can help determine the symmetry of a system, while in electromagnetism, it is used to describe the behavior of electromagnetic fields under reflection. In fluid dynamics, antisymmetric tensors are used to describe the flow of vortices in a fluid.

How does the parity inversion of antisymmetric tensor affect the overall symmetry of a system?

The parity inversion of an antisymmetric tensor can change the overall symmetry of a system. If the tensor is originally symmetric, the inversion will make it antisymmetric, and vice versa. This can have important implications in various physical systems, as the symmetry of a system often dictates its behavior and properties.

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