What does it mean when the eom of a field is trivially satisfied?

In summary: I'm sorry, I don't know how to answer that question. In summary, the conversation discusses the relationships between fields ##a##, ##b## and ##c## and their corresponding equations of motion. It is stated that if ##E_a## is a linear combination of ##E_b## and ##E_c## with field-dependent coefficients, and ##E_b## and ##E_c## are satisfied, then ##E_a## is automatically satisfied. The question is then asked about the nature of field ##a##, but without clear definitions of the symbols, it is difficult to answer. One possible interpretation is that only 2 of the 3 fields are dynamically independent.
  • #1
Baela
17
2
If a Lagrangian has the fields ##a##, ##b## and ##c## whose equations of motion are denoted by ##E_a, E_b## and ##E_c## respectively, then if
\begin{align}
E_a=f_1(a,b,c)\,E_b+f_2(a,b,c)\,E_c
\end{align}
where ##f_1## and ##f_2## are some functions of the fields, if ##E_b## and ##E_c## are satisfied, then ##E_a## is automatically satisfied.

Does this tell us anything particular about the nature of field ##a##?
 
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  • #2
Without clear definitions of your symbols there's no way to answer your question. Where do you get this from?
 
  • #3
Which symbol do you need clarification for? My question is pretty general. I can't see what part you are confused about.
 
  • #4
You don't give any definition of your symbols. How can you expect that anybody can understand what they mean?
 
  • #5
vanhees71 said:
You don't give any definition of your symbols. How can you expect that anybody can understand what they mean?
For background, the OP also started this thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...t-gauge-transformations.1051286/#post-6871749 (although they never returned to it as promised). My understanding of their notation is: ##a(x), b(x), c(x)## are spacetime fields individually satisfying the 3 Euler-Lagrange (field) equations ##E_{a}(a(x))=0, E_{b}(b(x))=0, E_{c}(c(x))=0##. I think they want to know the consequences if ##E_{a}(a(x))## happens to be a linear-combination, with field-dependent coefficients, of ##E_{b}(b(x)),E_{c}(c(x))##. My answer is that it simply means only 2 of the 3 fields are dynamically independent.
 
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