How do I calculate this Poisson bracket in QED?

0celo7
Messages
2
Reaction score
0

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.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
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.
 
Thread 'Need help understanding this figure on energy levels'
This figure is from "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffiths (3rd edition). It is available to download. It is from page 142. I am hoping the usual people on this site will give me a hand understanding what is going on in the figure. After the equation (4.50) it says "It is customary to introduce the principal quantum number, ##n##, which simply orders the allowed energies, starting with 1 for the ground state. (see the figure)" I still don't understand the figure :( Here is...
Thread 'Understanding how to "tack on" the time wiggle factor'
The last problem I posted on QM made it into advanced homework help, that is why I am putting it here. I am sorry for any hassle imposed on the moderators by myself. Part (a) is quite easy. We get $$\sigma_1 = 2\lambda, \mathbf{v}_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_2 = \lambda, \mathbf{v}_2 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_3 = -\lambda, \mathbf{v}_3 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ -1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} $$ There are two ways...
Back
Top