How do you calculate the time component of a 4-Vector

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the calculation of the time component of a four-vector related to the electric field (##\vec{E}##) and magnetic field (##\vec{B}##) in the context of electromagnetism. Participants explore the nature of these fields, their representation as tensors, and the implications of their components in a specific reference frame.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about calculating the time components ##B_t## and ##E_t## of the fields ##\vec{B}## and ##\vec{E}##, suggesting a four-vector representation.
  • Another participant asserts that there is no four-vector representation for ##\vec{B}## and ##\vec{E}##, stating they are components of an antisymmetric rank 2 tensor.
  • A subsequent post questions whether a ##B_t## component can exist despite the previous assertion.
  • Another participant clarifies that the tensor mentioned has six independent components corresponding to the three components of the electric field and the three components of the magnetic field.
  • Further discussion emphasizes that the electric potential and magnetic vector potential together form a four-vector.
  • One participant elaborates on the components of the electromagnetic field tensor and provides mathematical expressions relating the fields to the four-potential, including the time-space and space-space components.
  • The same participant notes that in a specific inertial reference frame, where a monopole is at rest, the time component of the electric field is zero, while the magnetic field has a specific spatial representation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the representation of the electric and magnetic fields as four-vectors, with some asserting that they are components of a tensor while others explore the possibility of time components. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the existence of ##B_t## and ##E_t##.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the nature of the fields and their representations, as well as dependencies on the choice of reference frame. The mathematical steps and definitions used in the discussion are not fully resolved.

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A stationary Monopole exist at the Origin. I am trying to get an understanding of the time derivative of a Four-Vector of ##\vec{B}## and ##\vec{E}##

##\vec{B} = B_r \hat r + B_\theta \hat \theta + B_\phi \hat \phi + \frac{1}{c}B_t \hat t##

##\vec{E} = E_r \hat r + E_\theta \hat \theta + E_\phi \hat \phi + \frac{1}{c}E_t \hat t##

How do you calculate ##B_t## and ##E_t##?
 
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Even thought it is not a 4-Vector can it have a ##B_t## component?
 
No. The tensor Dale mentioned has six independent components which correspond to the three components of the electric field three-vector and the three components of the magnetic field three-vector.

The electric potential and the magnetic vector potential together form a four vector.
 
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Antisymmetric rank 2 tensor has six independent components which correspond to the three components of the electric field three-vector and the three components of the magnetic field three-vector?
 
The 6 components of the electromagnetic field are in fact components of an antisymmetric Minkowski tensor. It's easier to remember the relations in terms of the four-potential:
$$F_{\mu \nu} = \partial_{\mu} A_{\nu}-\partial_{\nu} A_{\mu}.$$
The time-space components are (latin indices run from ##1## to ##3##, and I use the (+---) convention of the metric)
$$F_{0n}=\partial_0 A_n-\partial_n A_0=-\frac{1}{c} \partial_t A^n-\partial_n A^0=E^n=-E_n,$$
and the space-space components
$$F_{mn}=\partial_m A_n-\partial_n A_m=-\partial_m A^n + \partial_n A^m=-\epsilon^{lmn} B^l=-B^{mn}=-B_{mn}.$$
This is in a fixed inertial reference frame.

For the following we also need the Hodge dual
$$(\dagger F)^{\mu \nu}=\frac{1}{2} \epsilon^{\mu \nu \rho \sigma} F^{\rho \sigma}.$$
After some algebra one gets
$$(\dagger F)^{0 n}-B^n.$$

You can rewrite this in a coordinate-free way. Take a reference frame with the time-like unit vector called ##u^{\mu}##. For the original frame, used above we have ##(u^{\mu})=(1,0,0,0)##. So you can define four-vector electric-field components by
$$E^{\mu}=F^{\mu \nu} u_{\nu}, \quad B^{\mu}=(\dagger F)^{\mu \nu} u_{\nu}.$$
In the reference frame, where ##u^{\mu}=(1,0,0,0)## a single monopole sitting at rest in the origin of the spatial coordinate system, there is no time component. You have
$$\vec{E}=0, \quad \vec{B}=\frac{g}{4 \pi r^3} \vec{x}$$
where ##g## is the magnetic charge of the point monopole. It's completely analogous to electrostatics.
 

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