Published July 28, 2008 | Version v1
Journal article

Diffeomorphism invariance in the Hamiltonian formulation of General Relativity

  • 1. Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Huron University College, N6G 1H3 and Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London (Canada)
  • 2. Physics and Astronomy Department and Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London (Canada)

Description

It is shown that when the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian is considered without any non-covariant modifications or change of variables, its Hamiltonian formulation leads to results consistent with principles of General Relativity. The first-class constraints of such a Hamiltonian formulation, with the metric tensor taken as a canonical variable, allow one to derive the generator of gauge transformations, which directly leads to diffeomorphism invariance. The given Hamiltonian formulation preserves general covariance of the transformations derivable from it. This characteristic should be used as the crucial consistency requirement that must be met by any Hamiltonian formulation of General Relativity

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physleta.2008.05.081

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.physleta.2008.05.081;
arXiv
arXiv:0808.2623v1;
PII
S0375-9601(08)00874-8;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physics Letters. A
Journal Volume
372
Journal Issue
31
Journal Page Range
p. 5101-5105
ISSN
0375-9601
CODEN
PYLAAG

INIS

Country of Publication
Netherlands
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
40046615
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
GAUGE INVARIANCE; GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY; HAMILTONIANS; LAGRANGIAN FUNCTION; MODIFICATIONS; TENSORS; TRANSFORMATIONS
Descriptors DEC
FIELD THEORIES; FUNCTIONS; INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES; MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS; QUANTUM OPERATORS; RELATIVITY THEORY

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.