Gravitation & Relativity Seminar | December 03, 12:00

On Energy–Momentum & Spin: the inertial currents in classical field theory


In special relativity, quantum matter can be classified according to mass-energy and spin. The corresponding field-theoretical notions are the energy-momentum-stress tensor T and the spin angular momentum tensor S. Since each object in physics carries energy and, if fermionic, also spin, the notions of T and S can be spotted in all domains of physics, starting from the mechanical stress in engineering mechanics, over the Maxwell stress in electrodynamics to the energy-momentum tensor of matter in special and in general relativity. We discuss, in particular, asymmetric stress tensors, spin fluids, the Belinfante-Rosenfeld symmetrization of T, the improved energy-momentum of Callan, Coleman, and Jackiw. We discuss in how far Weyl's dictum that only general relativity leads to a proper definition of the energy concept is appropriate. This seminar is open ended and tries to build bridges to relativistic themodynamics.


Friedrich W. Hehl, Universität zu Köln and University of Missouri-Columbia
Seminarraum Theoretische Physik
Contact: not specified