Lagrangian & Hamiltonian Dynamics

Peter Mann

University of St Andrews

OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Contents

Preface xiii

PART I NEWTONIAN MECHANICS

1 Newton's Three Laws 3

1.1 PhaseSpace 7
1.2 Systems of Particles 8
1.3 The N-body Problem 11
Chapter summary 13

2 Energy and Work 15

Chapter summary 22

3 Introductory Rotational Dynamics 24

Chapter summary 33

4 The Harmonic Oscillator 34

Chapter summary 38

5 Wave Mechanics & Elements of Mathematical Physics 44

PART II LAGRANGIAN MECHANICS

6 Coordinates & Constraints 55

Chapter summary 59

7 The Stationary Action Principle 61

7.1 The Inverse Problem 70
7.2 Higher-Order Theories & the Ostrogradsky Equation 72
7.3 The Second Variation 73
7.4 Functions Sz Functional 74
7.5 Boundary Conditions 76
7.6 Variations 78
7.7 Weierstrass-Erdmann Conditions for Broken Extremals 79
7.8 Hamilton-Suslov Principle 79

Chapter summary 80

8 Constrained Lagrangian Mechanics 89

8.1 Holonomic Constraints 89
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8.2 Non-Holonomic Constraints 93

Chapter summary 96

9 Point Transformations in Lagrangian Mechanics 100

Chapter summary 103

10 The Jacobi Energy Function 107

Chapter 112
summary

11 Symmetries &: Lagrangian-Hamilton-Jacobi Theory 115

11.1 Noether's Theorem 115
11.2Gauge Theory 120
11.3Isotropic Symmetries 122
11.4 Caratheodory-Hamilton-Jacobi theory 123

Chapter summary 124

12 Near-Equilibrium Oscillations 130

12.1 Normal Modes 137
Chapter summary 140

13 Virtual Work & d'Alembert's Principle 147

13.1 Gauss's Least Constraint & Jourdain's Principle 153
13.2 The Gibbs-Appell Equations 156
Chapter summary 158

PART III CANONICAL MECHANICS

14 The Hamiltonian & Phase Space 167

Chapter summary 172

15 Hamilton's Principle in Phase Space 174

Chapter summary 178

16 Hamilton's Equations & Routhian Reduction 179

16.1 Phase Space Conservation Laws 181
16.2 Routhian Mechanics 183

17 Poisson Brackets Sz Angular Momentum 190

17.1 Poisson Brackets & Angular Momenta 195
17.2 Poisson Brackets h Symmetries 197
Chapter summary 200

18 Canonical & Gauge Transformations 202

18.1 Canonical Transformations I 202
18.2 Canonical Transformations II 206
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18.3 Infinitesimal Canonical Transformations 211

Chapter summary 214

19 Hamilton-Jacobi Theory 217

19.1 Hamilton-Jacobi Theory I 217
19.2 Hamilton-Jacobi Theory II 224
Chapter summary 229

20 Liouville's Theorem k Classical Statistical Mechanics 237

20.1 Liouville's Theorem k the Classical Propagator 237
20.2 Koopman-von Neumann Theory 244
20.3 Classical Statistical Mechanics 246
20.4 Symplectic Integrators 255
Chapter summary 259

21 Constrained Hamiltonian Dynamics 267

Chapter summary 274

22 Autonomous Geometrical Mechanics 277

22.1 A Coordinate-Free Picture 284
22.2 Poisson Manifolds k Symplectic Reduction 291
22.3 Geometrical Lagrangian Mechanics 296
22.4 Elements of Constrained Geometry 300
Chapter summary 303

23 The Structure of Phase Space 309

23.1 Time-Dependent Geometrical Mechanics 313
23.2 Picturing Phase Space 319
Chapter summary 322

24 Near-Integrable Systems 325

24.1 Canonical Perturbation Theory 325
24.2 KAM Theory k Elements of Chaos 333

PART IV CLASSICAL FIELD THEORY

25 Lagrangian Field Theory 345

Chapter summary 350

26 Hamiltonian Field Theory 353

27 Classical Electromagnetism 357

Chapter summary 365

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28 Noether's Theorem for Fields 369

376
Chapter summary

Classical 385
29 Patli-Integrals
385
29.1 Configuration Space Integrals
29.2 Phase Space Integrals 386

PART V PRELIMINARY MATHEMATICS

30 The (Not So?) Basics 397

31 Matrices 400

32 Partial Differentiation 406

33 Legendre Transforms 419

34 Vector Calculus 422

35 Differential Equations 437

36 Calculus of Variations 443

PART VI ADVANCED MATHEMATICS

37 Linear Algebra 453

38 Differential Geometry 460

PART VII EXAM-STYLE QUESTIONS

Appendix A Noether's Theorem Explored 487

Appendix B The Action Principle Explored 491

B.l Geodesies 491

Appendix C Useful Relations 494

Appendix D Poisson Sz Nambu Brackets Explored 496

D.l Symplectic Notation & Nambu Brackets 497

Appendix E Canonical Transformations Explored 502

Appendix F Action-Angle Variables Explored 506

Appendix G Statistical Mechanics Explored 511

G.l The Boltzmann Factor 511
G.2 Fluctuations 512
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Appendix H Biographies 514

H.l Sir Isaac Newton 514
H.2 Leonhard Euler 515
H.3 Jean d'Alembert 516
H.4 Joseph-Louis Lagrange 517
H.5 Carl Gustav Jacobi 519
H.6 Sir William Hamilton 520
H.7 Simeon Denis Poisson 522
H.8 Amalie Emmy Noether 522
H.9 Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann 524
H.10 Edward Routh 525
H.ll Hendrika van Leeuwen 526

Bibliography 527

Index 533