On Dirac's incomplete analysis of gauge transformations

DOI10.1016/J.SHPSB.2005.04.004zbMATH Open1222.81217arXivphysics/0409076OpenAlexW1984974704MaRDI QIDQ640223FDOQ640223

Authors: J. M. Pons 

Publication date: 17 October 2011

Published in: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science. Part B. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Dirac's approach to gauge symmetries is discussed. We follow closely the steps that led him from his conjecture concerning the generators of gauge transformations {it at a given time} --to be contrasted with the common view of gauge transformations as maps from solutions of the equations of motion into other solutions-- to his decision to artificially modify the dynamics, substituting the extended Hamiltonian (including all first-class constraints) for the total Hamiltonian (including only the primary first-class constraints). We show in detail that Dirac's analysis was incomplete and, in completing it, we prove that the fulfilment of Dirac's conjecture --in the "non-pathological" cases-- does not imply any need to modify the dynamics. We give a couple of simple but significant examples.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0409076

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zbMATH Keywords

constrained systemsDiracgauge theoriesgauge transformationsBergmann theoryDirac conjecture

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Lagrangian formalism and Hamiltonian formalism in mechanics of particles and systems (70S05) Yang-Mills and other gauge theories in quantum field theory (81T13) Constrained dynamics, Dirac's theory of constraints (70H45) Symmetries and conservation laws in mechanics of particles and systems (70S10)

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Cited In (29)

• Gauge symmetries and Dirac conjecture
• Change in Hamiltonian general relativity from the lack of a time-like Killing vector field
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• Superpositions of the cosmological constant allow for singularity resolution and unitary evolution in quantum cosmology
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