Geometric study of the connection between the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian constraints (Q1110870): Difference between revisions

In the Lagrangian approach to classical dynamics, one is given a function L on the tangent bundle TQ of the configuration manifold Q. In contrast with the Hamiltonian approach on the cotangent bundle \(T^*Q\) which has a canonical symplectic structure, there is no guarantee that the dynamics can be defined by a vector field on TQ, unless L satisfies global regularity conditions. If some weaker conditions are satisfied, we get a constrained vector field, i.e., defined on some submanifold of TQ. This vector field has the property that it can be translated into a constrained Hamiltonian vector field via the Legendre transformation FL: TQ\(\to T^*Q\) associated to L. The authors define here for each Lagrangian L an operator R(L) pulling vector fields in the image of FL back to TQ. Applying Dirac theory of constraints at the primary level, this operator establishes a correspondence of first order Hamiltonian constraints with dynamical Lagrangian constraints, and of second order Hamiltonian constraints with the second order differential equation (S.O.D.E.) condition at the Lagrangian level. This does not always work in problems when secondary or higher level Hamiltonian constraints appear. This paper was previous to the authors [Lett. Math. Phys. 14, 203-210 (1987; Zbl 0638.58009)] already reviewed. This geometrical study was completed there with the intrinsic definition of a time evolution operator K, introduced by \textit{C. Batlle}, \textit{J. Gomis}, \textit{J. M. Pons} and \textit{N. Roman-Roy} [J. Math. Phys. A 20, 5113-5123 (1987; Zbl 0642.58029)] for singular Lagrangian systems. It gives a one to one correspondence between Hamiltonian constraints \(\phi\) and Lagrangian constraints K(\(\phi)\), and it generalizes R(L), since it works at any constraint level and it is independent of the Lagrangian.