Module II: Relativity and Electrodynamics

Lecture 11: Lagrangian formulation of relativistic ED

Amol Dighe TIFR, Mumbai

Outline

Volume distribution of charges in EM elds

Field-eld interaction and Maxwells equations

Coming up...

Volume distribution of charges in EM elds

Field-eld interaction and Maxwells equations

From a single charge to volume distribution

We have seen that the Lagrangian for a charge q in EM elds is given by S = mc ds q Ak dxk . (1)

The rst term (Smatter ) describes the kinematics of a free particle, while the second one (Sint ) gives the interaction between a charge and the EM eld. For many particles with masses mi and charges qi , the charge-eld interaction term Sint gives
x2

Sint =
i

qi
x1

Ak dxk .

(2)

Going to the continuum, qi dV where is the charge density. This quantity may be written in a Lorentz-invariant form as 1 1 J dV = J mnp dV mnp . c 6c

Alternative way of writing the interaction term

The interaction term can then be written as Sint = Given

mnp d xk mnp d V

1 6c

J Ak

mnp d xk mnp d V

= 6 k d
0123 ),

(3) one gets (4)

(the negative sign comes from the sign of Sint = 1 c

Jk Ak . d

Thus, the interaction term in the Lagrangian can be written in terms of the current and the EM potential.

Gauge invariance and charge conservation

We have already seen that the gauge freedom of Ak dxk does not affect the EOMs. Let us see that the case is similar with A J: Ak Jk d = = Ak Jk + d Ak Jk + d k )Jk d ( k ( Jk ) d (k Jk ) . d

The second term is the 4-volume integral of a total derivative, while the last term vanishes by the continuity condition. Thus, the Gauge transformation leaves the action effectively invariant. Note that the Gauge invariance is thus equivalent to the continuity relation k Jk = 0, and hence the conservation of electric charge.

Coming up...

Volume distribution of charges in EM elds

Field-eld interaction and Maxwells equations

A term quadratic in EM potential A

So far, we have seen the charge-eld interaction term (or equivalently, the current-eld interaction term) in the action. This term, when analyzed through the principle of least action under variation of the coordinates xk , leads the EoM mc d uk = q Fkm um ds (5)

which yields the Lorentz force law. There are no other linear terms in A that will satisfy both, Lorentz invriance and Gauge invariance. Therefore, let us go to the quadratic terms. The only non-trivial terms that satisfy the above properties have km Fkm . The latter violates parity, so it the form Fkm Fkm and F should not be a part of electromagnetism. The terms in the action that involve the EM potential A are then S= 1 c d Ak Jk FF d Fkm Fkm . (6)

Variation of action w.r.t. Ak

Now we shall use the principle of least action where the initial and nal states stand for the initial and nal congurations of the EM potential A. over the complete Cauchy surface. The action will be extremized with respect to the variation of the potential A. The variation of the action is S = = = 1 c Jk Ak 2FF d d F km Fkm d

1 k J Ak + 2FF (Fkm k Am Fkm m Ak ) c 1 Jm Am + 4FF Fkm k Am d c

Maxwells equations !
Using d Fkm m Ak = d m (Fkm Ak ) d (m Fkm ) Ak ,

and getting rid of the total derivative term, one gets S = 1 Jk Ak 4FF (m Fkm ) Ak . c

The minimization of action, S = 0, gives 4FF k Fkm = 1 m J . c (7)

This becomes the Maxwells equation k Fkm = 0 Jk , with the identication FF = 1 0c = 40 c 4 (9) (8)

Consolidation / take-home message

Thus, the action in relativistic electrodynamics is S=
i

mi c

ds

1 c

d Jk Ak

0c

d Fkm F km

(10)

The rst term is the matter term Smatter that is present even in the absence of any EM elds. The second term is the interaction term Sint that represents the interaction term between currents and EM elds. The third term, SFF , is the term that represents the interaction of the eld with itself. It may be interpreted as the kinetic energy term of EM elds, and is present even when there are no source currents. Extremizing the action with respect to the variation in the coordinates x gives the Lorentz force law m c d uk /ds = q Fkm um , as seen is the last lecture. Extremizing the action with respect to the variation in the EM potential A gives the Maxwells equations, m Fkm = 0 J k .