On the definition of energy for a continuum, its conservation laws, and the energy-momentum tensor

DOI10.1155/2016/9679460MaRDI QIDQ504692zbMATHOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Mayeul Arminjon

Publication date 17 January 2017

Published in Advances in Mathematical Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Copyright license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.02616

zbMATH Keywords

energyconservation lawscontinuumNewtonian gravityspecial relativityenergy-momentum tensor

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Applications of differential geometry to physics (53Z05) Quantum field theory on curved space or space-time backgrounds (81T20) Special relativity (83A05) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Approximation procedures, weak fields in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C25) Gravitational energy and conservation laws; groups of motions (83C40) Macroscopic interaction of the gravitational field with matter (hydrodynamics, etc.) (83C55) Relativistic dynamics for problems in Hamiltonian and Lagrangian mechanics (70H40)

Abstract: We review the energy concept in the case of a continuum or a system of fields. First, we analyze the emergence of a true local conservation equation for the energy of a continuous medium, taking the example of an isentropic continuum in Newtonian gravity. Next, we consider a continuum or a system of fields in special relativity: we recall that the conservation of the energy-momentum tensor contains two local conservation equations of the same kind as before. We show that both of these equations depend on the reference frame, and that, however, they can be given a rigorous meaning. Then we review the definitions of the canonical and Hilbert energy-momentum tensors from a Lagrangian through the principle of stationary action in a general spacetime. Using relatively elementary mathematics, we prove precise results regarding the definition of the Hilbert tensor field, its uniqueness, and its tensoriality. We recall the meaning of its covariant conservation equation. We end with a proof of uniqueness of the energy density and flux, when both depend polynomially of the fields. Keywords: energy conservation; conservation equation; special relativity; general relativity; Hilbert tensor; variational principle

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Cited in

(4)

• Laue's theorem revisited: energy-momentum tensors, symmetries, and the habitat of globally conserved quantities
• New principles of work and energy as well as power and energy rate for continuum field theories.
• Physical stress, mass, and energy for non-relativistic matter
• Hilbert's energy-momentum tensor extended

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