Theorie Kolloquium | April 24, 16:30
On the metamorphoses of Maxwell's equations of electrodynamics since 1865: spotlights on the history of classical electrodynamics
Starting with Maxwell's equations for the electromagnetic field (1865), we first point out how Maxwell brought his system of equations into quaternionic form. Subsequently, we recognize that what we call Maxwell's equations nowadays is a creation of Heaviside and Hertz. Then we study the impact of special and of general relativity on Maxwell's equations. In particular we follow up the metric-free and topological version of Maxwell's equations via exterior differential forms and period integrals and discuss some applications. Alternative formulations via spinors, Clifford algebras, chains and cochains... are shortly mentioned.
Friedrich Hehl, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Cologne
Seminar Room TP 0.03
Contact: not specified