Stress-energy tensor for electromagnetic field with interaction term

In summary, the conversation is about finding the stress-energy tensor of a given lagrangian in curved space-time with a specific sign convention. The attempt at a solution includes raising indices of tensors, using the definition of the SET and formula for derivatives of the metric. However, the resulting expression is not the usual one found in textbooks and there is discomfort with the procedure used. The problem is traced back to an expression used to derive the SET, which is not symmetric and leads to a different expression. The conversation ends with confusion and a request for help in pointing out any mistakes.
  • #1
maykot
6
0
First of all, I'm not sure if this thread belongs here or at the "Special & General Relativity" sub-forum, if I posted at the wrong place please move it.

Homework Statement


I encountered this problem working in my master's degree.
I need to find the stress-energy tensor of the following lagrangian:
[tex] \mathcal{L} = -\frac{1}{4}F^{\alpha\beta}F_{\alpha\beta} - j^{\alpha}A_{\alpha} [/tex]

Where: [itex] F_{\alpha\beta}=\partial _{\alpha} A_{\beta} - \partial _{\beta} A_{\alpha} [/itex]

Also, I'm working in curved space-time with the (+---) sign convention.

Homework Equations


[tex] T^{\mu\nu} = \frac{2}{\sqrt{-g}} \frac{\delta S}{\delta g_{\mu\nu}} = 2 \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial g_{\mu\nu}}-g^{\mu\nu} \mathcal{L} [/tex]
[tex] \frac{\partial g_{\alpha\beta}}{\partial g_{\mu\nu}} = \delta ^{\mu}_{\alpha} \delta ^{\nu} _{\beta} [/tex]


The Attempt at a Solution


I raised the indices of all the tensors in the lagrangian ([itex] F_{\alpha\beta}=g_{\alpha\rho} g_{\beta\sigma}F^{\rho\sigma} [/itex], [itex] A_{\alpha}=g_{\alpha\rho} A^{\rho} [/itex]), considered all of the contravariant tensors constant with respect to [itex] g_{\mu\nu} [/itex] and then used the definition of the SET above and the formula above for the derivatives of the metric, resulting in:
[tex] T^{\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{4} g^{\mu\nu}F_{\alpha\beta}F^{\alpha\beta} + g_{\alpha\beta} F^{\mu\alpha} F^{\beta\nu} + g^{\mu\nu}j_{\alpha} A^{\alpha} - 2j^{\mu} A^{\nu} [/tex]

The problem is this is not the usual expression found in textbooks. Greiner, in his book Field Quantization, for instance, uses the Belinfante-Rosenfeld method to improve the canonical SET and finds:
[tex] T^{\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{4} g^{\mu\nu}F_{\alpha\beta}F^{\alpha\beta} + g_{\alpha\beta} F^{\mu\alpha} F^{\beta\nu} + g^{\mu\nu}j_{\alpha} A^{\alpha} - j^{\mu} A^{\nu} [/tex]
The only difference being the absence of the factor two in the last term.

Besides that, I cannot help but feel uncomfortable with the procedure I used to get to the SET.
Take the last term for example, making the following change in the lagrangian: [itex] j^{\alpha}A_{\alpha}=j_{\alpha}A^{\alpha} [/itex], the last term in the SET goes from [itex] -2j^{\mu} A^{\nu} [/itex] to [itex] -2j^{\nu} A^{\mu} [/itex].
Since this could in principle be done for any pair of vector fields this would imply that: [itex] A^{\mu} B^{\nu}=A^{\nu} B^{\mu} [/itex] for any [itex] A [/itex] and [itex] B [/itex], which is not true.
I am not sure what is wrong with my calculations, if someone could help me pointing it out I would be very grateful.
 
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  • #2
I traced the problem back to the expression [itex] \frac{\partial g_{\alpha\beta}}{\partial g_{\mu\nu}} = \delta ^{\mu}_{\alpha} \delta ^{\nu} _{\beta} [/itex]. It is not symmetric under [itex] \mu \to \nu [/itex] nor [itex] \alpha \to \beta [/itex].
This is the expression I've always used to derive the energy momentum tensor, but I found an expression in this article http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003491603002033, page 365, equation 235.
[tex] \frac{\partial g^{\mu\nu}}{\partial g_{\kappa\lambda}} = -\frac{1}{2} (g^{\mu\kappa} g^{\nu\lambda}+g^{\mu\lambda} g^{\nu\kappa}) [/tex]
Using:
[tex] \frac{\partial \delta^{\mu}_{\nu}}{\partial g_{\kappa\lambda}} = \frac{\partial (g^{\mu\sigma}g_{\sigma\nu})}{\partial g_{\kappa\lambda}}=0 [/tex]
It implies that:
[tex] \frac{\partial g_{\alpha\beta}}{\partial g_{\mu\nu}} = \frac{1}{2} (\delta^{\mu}_{\alpha} \delta^{\nu}_{\beta} + \delta^{\mu}_{\beta} \delta^{\nu}_{\alpha}) [/tex]
Which is indeed symmetric under [itex] \mu \to \nu [/itex] and [itex] \alpha \to \beta [/itex] but has the strange property that:
[tex] \frac{\partial g_{12}}{\partial g_{12}} = \frac{1}{2} [/tex]
And gives the following expression for the SET:
[tex] T^{\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{4} g^{\mu\nu}F_{\alpha\beta}F^{\alpha\beta} + g_{\alpha\beta} F^{\mu\alpha} F^{\beta\nu} + g^{\mu\nu}j_{\alpha} A^{\alpha} - (j^{\mu} A^{\nu} + j^{\nu} A^{\mu}) [/tex]
That is a bit better in relation to my original SET because it is at least explicitly symmetric, but still different from the expression from Greiner's book.
I'm getting more and more confused here.
 

FAQ: Stress-energy tensor for electromagnetic field with interaction term

1. What is the stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term?

The stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term is a mathematical representation of the distribution of energy and momentum in a system that includes both electromagnetic fields and interacting particles. It describes how the energy and momentum of the electromagnetic field and the particles are related to each other.

2. How is the stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term derived?

The stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term is derived from the Maxwell's equations, which describe the behavior of electromagnetic fields, and the equations of motion for the interacting particles. By combining these equations, the stress-energy tensor is obtained through mathematical manipulation and tensor calculus.

3. What is the importance of the stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term in physics?

The stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term is important in physics because it provides a complete description of the energy and momentum in a system that includes both electromagnetic fields and interacting particles. It is crucial in understanding the behavior of these systems and predicting their future states.

4. How does the stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term relate to Einstein's theory of general relativity?

The stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term is a key component in Einstein's theory of general relativity. It is used to define the curvature of spacetime, which is responsible for the effects of gravity. The stress-energy tensor describes the distribution of energy and momentum in a system, and this information is used to calculate the curvature of spacetime.

5. Can the stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term be applied to other fields besides electromagnetism?

Yes, the stress-energy tensor for the electromagnetic field with interaction term can be applied to other fields besides electromagnetism. It can be generalized to describe the energy and momentum distribution in any system that includes interacting fields and particles. This makes it a powerful tool in various areas of physics, such as quantum field theory and cosmology.

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