Remark on electric charge Lorentz invariance

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the Lorentz invariance of electric charge in classical field theories with rigid continuous symmetries, specifically focusing on global U(1) symmetry. The charge associated with this symmetry is defined as Q=\int_{\mathbb{R}^{3}} d^3 x J^{0}(x^{0},\vec{x}). The proof presented is incomplete, highlighting the total variation of charge under infinitesimal Lorentz transformations, which indicates that Q remains time-independent on the stationary surface of the field equations. The analysis draws from Pierre Ramond's "Field Theory: A Modern Primer" to establish foundational concepts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of classical field theory and its symmetries
  • Familiarity with global U(1) symmetry and its implications in electromagnetism
  • Knowledge of Lorentz transformations and their mathematical representation
  • Proficiency in calculus, particularly in evaluating integrals over three-dimensional space
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the implications of Lorentz invariance in quantum field theory
  • Explore the mathematical framework of gauge theories and their quantization
  • Investigate the role of conserved currents in field theories
  • Learn about the application of Noether's theorem in relation to symmetries and conservation laws
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, particularly those specializing in theoretical physics, quantum field theory, and electromagnetism, will benefit from this discussion. It is also relevant for students and researchers interested in the mathematical foundations of field theories and their symmetries.

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Since there's another thread on the same subject in the GR forum, but on this forum about 8 months ago an interesting discussion on the same subject took place, https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=114620, i want to draw everyone's attention on the post \#24 in that thread in which the author of that post attempts to give a proof of the fact that for an arbitrary classical field theory which admits rigid continuous symmetries, the charges associated with this symmetries are Lorentz invariant (i.e. numbers which are reference frame independent) on the stationary surface of field equantions.

In particular this discussion is valid for global U(1) symmetry (which we know that after gauge-ing and quantization of the full interacting theory describes the em. interaction at quantum level btw electrically charged particles) and its associated charge

Q=\int_{\mathbb{R}^{3}} d^3 x J^{0} \left(x^{0},\vec{x}\right) (1).

where the integration is made on arbitrary constant time hypersurface in \mathbb{M}_{4} which we know that is topologically \mathbb{R}^{3}, the latter being the ordinary space of classical Newtonian physics.

The proof is, unfortunately, incomplete as the derivation below will show.

We want to compute the TOTAL variation of the charge (1) under infinitesimal Lorentz transformations (in the sequel ''LT's'')

\delta Q=\frac{\partial Q}{\partial x^mu}} \delta x^{\mu} + \delta\{0\}Q =\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\}Q=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\} \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left[\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}int\_<br /> <br /> <br /> \{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mathbb\{R\}\symbol{94}\{3\}\} d\symbol{94}\{3\}x \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(x\symbol{94}\{0\},\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}vec\{x\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right] (2),

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >,where \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\} stands for the INTRINSIC variation of the charge under infinitesimal LT's (i used the notation in Pierre Ramond's ''Field Theory: A Modern Primer''). We definitely know that

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}frac\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial Q\}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial x\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\} =0\smallskip (3)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >,because Q is time-independent on the stationary surface of the field eqns. and Q doesn't depend on the space variables, as it is integrated wrt them in its very definition (1).

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >Therefore we need

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta Q=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}int\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mathbb\{R\}\symbol{94}\{3\}\} \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left[ d\symbol{94}\{3\}x <br /> <br /> <br /> \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(x\symbol{94}\{0\},\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}vec\{x\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right] =<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}int\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mathbb\{R\}\symbol{94}\{3\}\} d\symbol{94}\{3\}x \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} delta\_\{0\}J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(x\symbol{94}\<br /> <br /> {0\},\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}vec\{x\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right] (4)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >,since the intrinsic variation of the volume element under local/infinitesimal LT's is zero.

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >(4) means that we must calculate

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\}J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(x\symbol{94}\{0\},\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}vec\{x\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) = \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} ... \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} ? (5)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\smallskip We know that J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}, the current, is, on the stationary surface of the field eqns. , a conservative Lorentz vector field and therefore, under arbitrary infinitesimal LT's, it transforms like

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\} = \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\{\}\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\} <br /> <br /> J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\}J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}+\TEXTsym<br /> <br /> bol{\backslash}frac\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial x\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backsl<br /> <br /> ash}nu\}\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta x\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\} (6)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >,where the infinitesimal antisymmetric parameters \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon are constant wrt ''x''.

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >It's important to know that (3) provide the total variation of the field (which is a vector) under infinitesimal LT's and part of it comes from the fact that the current itself depends on ''x'' which in turn undergoes infinitesimal LT's. We know that

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta x\symbol{94}\{nu\}=epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\{\}\_\{lambda\}x\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\} (7)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >So

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\}J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{mu\}\{\}\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsy<br /> <br /> mbol{\backslash}nu\}-\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\} J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}<br /> <br /> epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}eta\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}-\TEXTsymbol{\backslas<br /> <br /> h}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;+J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\TEXTsymbol{<br /> <br /> \backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)J\<br /> symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}- \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}le<br /> <br /> ft(J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTs<br /> ymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;+J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsy<br /> mbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}eta\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backsla<br /> <br /> sh}mu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)-\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)\TEXTsymbol{\backslas<br /> <br /> h}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;- \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J \symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}<br /> <br /> lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) - \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) (8)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta\_\{0\}J\symbol{94}\{0\}= \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\bac<br /> <br /> kslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{0\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) - \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}nu\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{0\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) + \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial<br /> <br /> \_\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{0\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)<br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;- \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\ba<br /> <br /> ckslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{0\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)- \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\sym<br /> bol{94}\{i\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right) <br /> <br /> 038&lt;p type=&quot;texpara&quot; tag=&quot;Body Text&quot; &gt;=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left[\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left( J\symbol{94}\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{0\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}-J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\{i\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right] (9)

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\smallskip Plugging (9) into (4) we get

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\smallskip \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}delta Q=\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}int\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mbox\{R\}\symbol{94}\{3\}\} d\symbol{94}\{3\}x \TEXTsymbol{\backslash} \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}partial\_\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left[\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}left(J\symbol{94}\{i\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\symbol{94}\{0\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}-J\symbol{94}\{0\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}epsilon\{i\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right)x\_\{\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}lambda\}\TEXTsymbol{\backslash}right] =0 ,

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >\smallskip by virtue of using classical fields, namely the J's components vanish at infinity faster that any power of ''x'' (we can safely consider them test functions from the Schwarz space over \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mbox\{R\}\symbol{94}\{4\}) and thus the final equality follows from the Gauss-Ostrogradski's theorem in \TEXTsymbol{\backslash}mathbb\{R\}\symbol{94}\{3\}.

038<p type="texpara" tag="Body Text" >The proof is now complete.
 
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Sorry, what you se above is LaTex sabotage. I'll post everything again. Tomorrow. It actually annoys me that writing a long post (also with LaTex code) in a fairly long period of time automatically leads to disconnection, so i have to write the post in SW and copy-paste it here, but as you can see, the LaTex compiler from this website doesn't recognize the code used by SW. Un coup de merde.

Daniel.
 
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