Noether's Theorem For Functionals of Several Variables

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on the application of Noether's theorem to functionals of several variables, exploring the relationship between single-variable and multivariable formulations. The author seeks a more memorable expression for the multivariable version, which involves complex derivatives and conservation laws. They propose various formulations and transformations, attempting to relate them to the Hamiltonian framework for functionals. The conversation highlights the challenge of remembering the multivariable statement and the importance of understanding its implications for conservation laws in physics. The exchange concludes with a confirmation of the correctness of the proposed formulations and their connection to conservation of current densities.
bolbteppa
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My question is on using a form of the single variable Noether's theorem to remember the multiple variable version.

Noether's theorem, for functionals of a single independent variable, can be translated into saying that, because \mathcal{L} is invariant, we have

\mathcal{L}(x,y_i,y_i')dx = \sum_{j=1}^n p_i d y_j - \mathcal{H}dx = \mathcal{L}(x^*,y_i^*,y_i'^*)dx^* = \sum_{i=1}^n p_i d y_i^* - \mathcal{H}dx^* = C

It is usually stated by saying that

\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial ( \tfrac{d y_i}{dx})} \frac{\partial y_i^*}{\partial \varepsilon} - \left[\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial ( \tfrac{d y_j}{dx})} \tfrac{\partial y_j }{\partial x} - \mathcal{L}\right]\frac{\partial x^*}{\partial \varepsilon}

is conserved, but this seems to be equivalent to what I've written above.

(I've offered a hopefully unnecessary explanation of the details of the equivalence, posed as a question, http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/787011/noethers-theorem-for-functionals-of-several-variables ).

I like the above expression, it's great for remembering Noether's theorem.

Can we generalize it to functionals of several variables?

The statement of the multivariable Noether I know is that, for

\mathcal{L} = \mathcal{L}(x_i,u_j,\frac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})

we have that

\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}\left(\frac{\partial u_j^*}{\partial \varepsilon_k} - \sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i}\frac{\partial x_i^*}{\partial \varepsilon _k}\right) + \mathcal{L}\frac{\partial x_i^*}{\partial \varepsilon _k}\right] = 0

I can hardly remember this, and as I've indexed it I can't turn it into anything involving what I *think* is the Hamiltonian for a functional of several independent variables

\mathcal{H} = \sum_{j=1}^np_{ij}\frac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i} - \mathcal{L} = \sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}\frac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i} - \mathcal{L}

Can this be turned into something similar to my main equation, perhaps using \delta_{ij}'s or g_{\mu \nu}'s or something?

An attempt:

\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}\left(\frac{\partial u_j^*}{\partial \varepsilon_k} - \sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i}\frac{\partial x_i^*}{\partial \varepsilon _k}\right) + \mathcal{L}\frac{\partial x_i^*}{\partial \varepsilon _k}\right] = 0

\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}\left(d u_j^* - \sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i}d x_i^* \right) + \mathcal{L}d x_i^* \right] = 0

\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}d u_j^* - \sum_{k=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_k}{\partial x_i})}\sum_{l=1}^n\frac{\partial u_k}{\partial x_l}d x_l^* + \mathcal{L}d x_i^* \right] = 0\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}d u_j^* - \sum_{k=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_k}{\partial x_i})}\sum_{l=1}^n\frac{\partial u_k}{\partial x_l}d x_l^* + \sum_{l=1}^n\delta^l_i \mathcal{L}d x_l^* \right] = 0\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}d u_j^* - \sum_{l=1}^n (\sum_{k=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_k}{\partial x_i})}\frac{\partial u_k}{\partial x_l} - \delta^l_i \mathcal{L})d x_l^* \right] = 0\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial (\tfrac{\partial u_j}{\partial x_i})}d u_j^* - \sum_{l=1}^n \mathcal{H}d x_l^* \right] = 0.\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}\left[\sum_{j=1}^m p_{ij}d u_j^* - \sum_{l=1}^n \mathcal{H}d x_l^* \right] = 0.

I don't know if that's right.
 
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Brilliant, thank you.
 
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