A frame-independent description of the principles of classical mechanics (Q1103422)

Starting out with dynamical principles in classical spacetime a coherent frame-independent formulation of the principles of classical mechanics is presented. Since the gravitational field is determined by the entire matter distribution the usual concept of a material body is not an appropriate starting point. Therefore the authors begin with the matter distribution represented as a scalar measure on space-time associated with a velocity distribution. Traditional force and momentum principles follow. The field equations for a continuous body are expressed frame- independently as usual. Constitutive equations are introduced as functionals on a state space containing the history of the configuration gradient and that of the temperature field, and the gradient of the temperature field. Equipresence is not satisfied. The authors emphasize the principle of material frame-indifference is still necessary in a frame-independent theory. This is of course not true because the indifference of the frame-independent constitutive equations under rigid- body motion defines a special class of materials: the Hall-unsensitive one. Finally observer-dependent forms of the constitutive functionals are shown.