Invariance Definition and 454 Threads

The part I understand: I understand that the spontaneous symmetry breaking of the Higgs produces the 'Mexican hat' potential, with two non-zero stable equilibria. I understand that as the Higgs is a complex field, there exists a phase component of the field. Under gauge transformations of...

In my GR book they discuss things that are invariant, and I know from my math classes that invariant things are very useful. However, my intuition with invariance is that when a coordinate transformation is applied, the object is the same. Scalars are the same scalar in one frame as another...

Homework Statement Show that all ##n \times n## unitary matrices ##U## leave invariant the quadratic form ##|x_{1}|^{2} + |x_{2}|^{2} + \cdots + |x_{n}|^{2}##, that is, that if ##x'=Ux##, then ##|x'|^{2}=|x|^{2}##. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution ##|x'|^{2} = (x')^{\dagger}(x')...

Homework Statement Show that all ##n \times n## (real) orthogonal matrices ##O## leave invariant the quadratic form ##x_{1}^{2} + x_{2}^{2}+ \cdots + x_{n}^{2}##, that is, that if ##x'=Ox##, then ##x'^{2}=x^{2}##. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution ##x'^{2} = (x')^{T}(x') =...

please explain what gauge symmetry is, gauge transformation is, gauge invariance is, and also how gauge invariance deletes the timelike polarization of a massless vector boson. without fancy math and formulas.

I've been trying to teach myself the path integral formulation of quantum field theory and there's a point that's really bugging me: why is the integration measure ##\mathcal{D}\phi(x)## invariant under shifts in the field of the form $$\phi(x)\rightarrow\tilde{\phi}(x)=\phi(x)+\int...

Category of simple questions Obviously I am misunderstanding how an interval of space- time can be invariant under coordinate transformations. The following elementary (but obviously incorrect) calculation will illustrate my difficulty. Alice is leaving her two boyfriends, Bob and Charlie. Bob...

Claim: The acceleration (both direction and magnitude) for any object is the same in any inertial reference frame. Is this claim true? I think it is, but someone mentioned to me that time may be an issue as it's not agreed upon in all inertial reference frames. I'd appreciate any references...

Neil Turok, Director of the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics in Ontario, Canada suggests scaling invariance is a fundamental property of nature, including spacetime. that nature does not recognize any kind of scale, including Planck scale. if true how would this affect the leading...

Hi! I have been reading about the position of the center of mass in the Marion's Classical Dynamics book, in some point of the section he states that: "The location of center of mass of a body in uniquely defined, but the position vector R(of the center of mass ofcourse) depends on the...

Homework Statement Show that the determinant of a ##2 \times 2 ## matrix ## \vec\sigma \cdot \vec a ## is invariant under ## \vec \sigma\cdot \vec a \rightarrow \vec \sigma\cdot \vec a' \equiv \exp(\frac{i\vec \sigma \cdot \hat n \phi}{2})\vec \sigma\cdot \vec a \exp(\frac{-i\vec \sigma \cdot...

Homework Statement Given a reference frame O' moving at a constant speed $\vec{V}$ in relation to another reference frame O, I want to prove that ##\vec{r_{1B}} \times m_1\vec{v_{1B}} + \vec{r_{2B}} \times m_2\vec{v_{2B}} = \vec{r_{1F}} \times m_1\vec{v_{1F}} + \vec{r_{2F}} \times...

Hi everybody! Why we don't have to prove Lorentz invariance of the Vacuum state in QFT? This fact is quite obvious in QED and follows from Lorentz invariance of electric charges. But in general case? I don't know, but it seems to me this fact is not so obvious as it treated.

Is it a fact of invariance that a person moving in an enclosed object cannot tell if he/she is moving at constant velocity or standing still (for case when he/she is not being accelerated nor in a gravitational field)? If so, would it be possible to perform an experiment within the closed object...

Hi all, In A. Djouadi's review for Higgs, volume II, " arXiv:hep-ph/0503173v2 ", Sec. 1.2.3, it discuss the couplings of SUSY new scalars with gauge bosons, there are some points I don't understand: - CP–invariance forbids WWA, ZZA and W ZH ± couplings - For the couplings between two Higgs...

In the book "Statistical physics for cosmic structures" at p. 171 a read a definition of scale invariance (leading to the so called scale invariant power spectrum) given as the requirement that ##\sigma^2_M(R=R_H(t)) = constant##, where ##R_H(t)## is the horizon, i.e. the maximal distance that...

In Dodelson's "Modern Cosmology" on p.241 he states that the ##a_{lm}##-s -- for a given ##l##-- corresponding to a spherical harmonic expansion of the photon-temperature fluctuations, are drawn from the same probability distribution regardless of the value of ##m##. Dodelson does not explain...

I recently learned that with (local) gauge invariance, functional quantization needs to factor out volume factor(Faddeev-Popov procedure). Why does this has to be done?Just to remove infinity? As far as I am concerned, ##\phi^4## theory contains invariance(for example ##\phi\to\phi\cdot e^{i...

Homework Statement [/B] So, I need to show Lorentz covariance of a Proca field E-L equation, conceptually I have no problems with this, I just have to make one final step that I cannot really justify. Homework Equations "Proca" (quotation marks because of the minus next to the mass part, I...

Hey guys! I was reading the following paper http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/0703260 for Georgi and I have a conceptual question about it. Howard Georgi was talking about this Unparticle Physics theory and at the base of his analysis is the principle of scale invariance. So Georgi is saying what if...

Are all the hermitian and lorentz invariant lagrangians, invariant under the combination of CPT? If yes, how can it be proved?

Homework Statement Prove that for any three vectors ##\hat a, \hat b ## and ## \hat c##, ##\hat a \cdot (\hat b \times \hat c)## = ##(\hat a \times \hat b) \cdot \hat c ## Homework Equations [/B] ## \hat i \cdot \hat i = \hat j \cdot \hat j = \hat k \cdot \hat k = (1)(1)\cos(0) = 1 ## ##...

Homework Statement Hi Guys, This is the first exampe from Engel's problem solving book. After a long period of no math I am self studying. I do not know where my knowledge deficits lie, and was recommended this site for help. "E1. Starting with a point S (a, b) of the plane with 0 < b < a...

Consider a Lagrangian: ##L(x,x',t)## Define now: ##L'(x,x',t) = L + x ## We have seen that Lagrangians can differ up to a total time derivative of some function ##F(x,t)## in such cases and give the same equation. When checking explicitly these two give different equations. Why would it be...

The measured energy density of the vacuum has a disturbing discrepance with the one theorized by imposig Poincare invariance in QFT, usually referred to as the "vacuum catastrophe". On the other hand the Heisenberg indeterminacy principle leads to a nonzero vacuum expectation value for the...

Hey guys, So I have a question about the gauge invariance of the weak field approximation. So if I write the approximation as \Box h^{\mu\nu} -\partial_{\alpha}(\partial^{\mu}h^{\nu\alpha}+\partial^{\nu}h^{\mu\alpha})+\partial^{\mu}\partial^{\nu}h=0 then this is invariant under the gauge...

My book says that in this case $$e^+e^- \rightarrow \gamma \gamma $$ gauge invariance requires that $$k_{1\nu}(A^{\mu\nu} + \tilde{A}^{\mu\nu})=0=k_{2\mu}(A^{\mu\nu} + \tilde{A}^{\mu\nu})$$ Please see attachment. My question is how does this statement hold?

Hi. This is my first post here in PF ( :) ). I've been reading some threads on "passive" versus "active" diffeomorphisms, and I wondered: what is the physical motivation for having GR be diffeomorphic invariant? Sure, this allows us to have solutions to Einstein's equations (EFE) up to...

To make my explanation easier open the ''Generating function approach'' section on this wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_transformation The function ##\frac{dG}{dt}## represents the function that always can be added to the Lagrangian without changing the mechanical...

I was trying to prove all those little things you spend long as the local invariance in the free Lagrangian of electroweak interaction. Taking into account the appropriate SU(2) transformations (without covariant derivatives), came to the following expression \mathcal{L}_{\text{ferm.}} =...

Homework Statement Consider Newton’s force law for two particles interact through a central force F12(r1',r2',u1,u2), where by Newton’s third law F12 = -F21. m1(d^2r1/dt^2) = F12(r1,r2,u1,u2) m2(d^2r2/dt^2) = F21(r1,r2,u1,u2) A. Show that Newtonian mechanics is form invariant with respect to...

Hello everyone. I'm studying the fixed point of theory in the context of QFT. First of all, let me say what I think I understood about fixed points and then I'll state my question. Suppose we have a theory with a certain running coupling ##\lambda(\mu)##. If we have, for example, an UV fixed...

See the passage attached below. Consider the 1-loop vertex correction (c.f. p.2 of http://bolvan.ph.utexas.edu/~vadim/classes/2012f/vertex.pdf) and vacuum polarization diagrams in QED. A very simple UV regulator that makes the integrals for the amplitude very simple is the prescription that we...

SR section 1.7. Einstein states if a train and light beam are moving in the same direction, the speed of the light as seen from the train is c-v. ( c being the speed of light and v the speed of the train ). c-v being smaller than c is resolved by time dilation or length contraction. My...

Hello, Please excuse me about my ignorance. I would like to know how SO(2,1) Lie algebra, is derived from operators and commutators. I have some notes, that the Lie algebra of SO(2,1) is derived from: [D,H]=-iH [K,D]=-iK [H,K]=2iD where D, H, and K are the "generators". I have no clue what does...

My question concerns poincare invariance (I have left out the accent) in bosonic string theory. As far as I know, action of a 1-d String is described by poincare invariance. So my question is: why poincare invariance? And here comes the more ambarassing question: What is poincare...

Tests of lorentz violation in space outside earth, planets, our sun, other stars, galaxies and galaxygroups have shown no violations. That is fine. But do you ladies and gentlemen, know if anyone have tested (experimental and/or theorethical) if there may happen lorentz violations (or if the...

If you shift the universe five meters to the left, there is no observational change. If you rotate the entire universe, the inertial frame is also rotated, and there is no observable change. If you freeze time in the universe for one billion years, then resume it, there is no observable...

Anyone can help me how to argue that interaction lagrangian is invariant under gauge transformation?

The postulates of quantum theory can be given in the density matrix formalism. States correspond to positive trace class operators with trace 1 on a Hilbert space ##\mathcal{H}##. Composition is defined through the tensor product and reduction through partial trace. Operations on the system are...

I want to prove the invariance of the Klein-Gordon Lagrangian \mathcal{L}=\frac 1 2 \partial^\mu \phi \partial_\mu \phi-\frac 1 2 m^2 \phi^2 under a general Lorentz transformation \Lambda^\alpha_\beta but I don't know what should I do. I don't know how to handle it. How should I do it? Thanks

[SOLVED] Diffeomorphism invariance of the Polyakov action Hi, I'm struggling with something that is quite elementary. I know that the Polyakov action is diffeomorphism invariant and Weyl invariant. Denoting the world-sheet coordinates \sigma^0 = \sigma and \sigma^1 = t and the independent...

This is a pretty basic question, but I haven't seen it dealt with in the texts that I have used. In the proof where it is shown that the product of a spinor and its Dirac conjugate is Lorentz invariant, it is assumed that the gamma matrix \gamma^0 is invariant under a Lorentz transformation. I...

Hi folks -- does anyone know of a good survey article on the topic of whether local gauge invariance is a requirement of a fundamental theory within QFT -- hence of an asymptotically safe theory? I only have a few scattered remarks to this effect (by F. Wilczek mostly), so any good...

I have a question related to the Lorentz invariance. (on the book of Mark Srednicki Quantum Field Theory, page 35 prob. 2.9 c) There are representations of \Lambda and S. In order to show that result of problem, I use number of two ways. 1. I expanded \Lambda to infinitesimal form using...

[SIZE="4"]Definition/Summary Gauge invariance is a form of symmetry. An experiment here today will work the same way over there tomorrow and with the apparatus pointing in a different direction. This is called "global invariance" … the laws of physics are invariant under translations...

Hi. According to Griffiths the conmutation relations for the angular momentum and spin operators conmutation relations can be deduced from the rotational invariance, as in Ballentine 3.3. For the angular momentum seems logical that it is so, but how is it that rotational invariance leads to...

Hi All: I am curious about the definition of mean curvature and its apparent lack of invariance under changes of coordinates: AFAIK, mean curvature is defined as the trace of the second fundamental form II(a,b). II(a,b) is a quadratic/bilinear form, and I do not see how its trace is invariant...

The Rarita-Schwinger action is \int \sqrt{g} \overline{\psi}_a \gamma^{abc} D_b \psi_c Here ##g = \det(g_{\mu \nu})##, and the indices ##a, b \dots ## are 'internal' indices that transform under e.g. ##\mathrm{SO} (3,1) ## in ##3+1## dimensions. ##\gamma^{abc} = \gamma^{[a} \gamma^{b}...

In a Bianchi IX universe the metric must be invariant under the SO(3) group acting on the 3-sphere. Hence, the metric must be translation invariant in the spatial parts, where t=constant. This implies that the metric must take the form such that: ds^2 = dt^2 - g_ij(t)(x^i)(x^j), where g is a...