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Classical 12

This lecture summary covers symmetries and conserved quantities in classical mechanics. It introduces Poisson manifolds and flows generated by functions on these manifolds. It proves that a function G generates symmetries of another function F if and only if F generates symmetries of G. It also proves that any function generates symmetries of itself, meaning quantities like energy are always conserved. Finally, it shows that the set of all conserved quantities forms a Poisson subalgebra.

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24 views

Classical 12

This lecture summary covers symmetries and conserved quantities in classical mechanics. It introduces Poisson manifolds and flows generated by functions on these manifolds. It proves that a function G generates symmetries of another function F if and only if F generates symmetries of G. It also proves that any function generates symmetries of itself, meaning quantities like energy are always conserved. Finally, it shows that the set of all conserved quantities forms a Poisson subalgebra.

Uploaded by

bgiangre8372
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Classical Mechanics, Lecture 12

February 19, 2008


lecture by John Baez
notes by Alex Hoffnung

1 Symmetries and Conserved Quantities


Let X be a Poisson manifold. Let F, G C (X). Suppose the vector fields

vF = {F, }

vG = {G, }
are integrable. Let
: R X X
be the flow generated by F :
d
t (x) = vF (t (x)), t R, x X
dt
Let
: R X X
be the flow generated by G:
d
t (x) = vG (t (x)), t R, x X
dt
If F is energy, or the Hamiltonian, then t : X X is called time translation. In this case
we say G is a conserved quantity (does not change as time passes) if:

Gt = G, t R

or
G(t (x)) = G(x), t R, x X
If
F (t (x)) = F (x), t R, x X
then we would say G generates symmetries of F - i.e. F is constant along the integral curves of
the flow generated by G.

Theorem 1 G generates symmetries of F if and only if F generates symmetries of G.

(If we think of F as the Hamiltonian, we would say this as follows: G generates symmetries of the
Hamiltonian if and only if G is conserved.)

Proof: t R, x X,

G generates symmetries of F F (t (x)) = F (X)


d
F (t (x)) = 0
dt  
d
dF t (x) = 0
dt
dF (vG (t (x))) = 0

1
vG (t (x))F = 0
{G, F }(t (x)) = 0
{F, G}(t (x)) = 0
{F, G}(t (x)) = 0
vF (t (x))F = 0
dG(vF (t (x))) = 0
d
dG( t (x)) = 0
dt
d
G(t (x)) = 0
dt
G(t (x)) = G(x)
F generates symmetries of G

Moral: the antisymmetry of the Poisson bracket is crucial!

Theorem 2 F generates symmetries of F .

(If F is called the Hamiltonian this says: energy is conserved!)

Proof:

F generates symmetries of F F (t (x)) = F (x)


d
F (t (x)) = 0
dt  
d
dF t (x) = 0
dt
dF (vF (t (x))) = 0
vF (F t (x)) = 0
{F, F }(t (x)) = 0

but {F, F } = {F, F } so {F, F } = 0. Again, the antisymmetry of the Poisson bracket is crucial!

Given F such that vF is integrable, let

A = {G C (X)|F generates symmetries of G}


= {G C (X)|G(t (x)) = G(x), t, x}
= {G C (X)|{F, G} = 0}

If F is called the Hamiltonian, elements of A are called bf conserved quantities.

Theorem 3 A is a Poisson subalgebra of C (X), i.e. it is closed under:


linear combinations
multiplication
Poisson bracket

2
Proof:
Suppose G, H A.
1. G + H A, (, R),
since:

{F, G + H} = {F, G} + {F, H} = 0

since {, } is bilinear.
2. GH A, since:

{F, GH} = {F, G}H + G{F, H} = 0


since {, } satisfies the Leibniz law.
3. {G, H} A, since:

{F, {G, H}} = {{F, G}, H} + {G, {F, H}} = 0


since {, } satisfies the Jacobi identity.
What we are doing is laying the groundwork for an axiomatic approach to classical mechanics. The
key axioms would be:
1. observables form a commutative algebra
2. sufficiently nice observables generate flows
3. any observable generates a flow that leaves itself constant (generates symmetriew of itself).
(I.e., energy is always conserved!)
From axioms like this, we would like to derive the existence of a Poisson algebra of observables.
3 would give the antisymmetry.

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