Rotations associated with Lorentz boosts
نویسندگان
چکیده
It is possible to associate two angles with two successive non-collinear Lorentz boosts. If one boost is applied after the initial boost, the result is the final boost preceded by a rotation called the Wigner rotation. The other rotation is associated with Wigner’s O(3)-like little group. These two angles are shown to be different. However, it is shown that the sum of these two rotation angles is equal to the angle between the initial and final boosts. This relation is studied for both low-speed and high-speed limits. Furthermore, it is noted that the two-by-two matrices which are under the responsibility of other branches of physics can be interpreted in terms of the transformations of the Lorentz group, or vice versa. Classical ray optics is mentioned as a case in point. PACS number: 11.30.Cp
منابع مشابه
ar X iv : m at h - ph / 0 40 10 32 v 1 1 5 Ja n 20 04 Rotations associated with Lorentz boosts
It is possible to associate two angles with two successive non-collinear Lorentz boosts. If one boost is applied after the initial boost, the result is the final boost preceded by a rotation called the Wigner rotation. The other rotation is associated with Wigner's O(3)-like little group. These two angles are shown to be different. However, it is shown that the sum of these two rotation angles ...
متن کاملLorentz-Violating Extension of the Standard Model
In the context of conventional quantum field theory, we present a general Lorentz-violating extension of the minimal SU(3) × SU(2)× U(1) standard model including CPT-even and CPTodd terms. It can be viewed as the low-energy limit of a physically relevant fundamental theory with Lorentz-covariant dynamics in which spontaneous Lorentz violation occurs. The extension has gauge invariance, energy-m...
متن کاملar X iv : m at h - ph / 0 10 80 28 v 1 3 1 A ug 2 00 1 Wigner rotations in laser cavities
The Wigner rotation is a key word in many branches of physics, chemistry and engineering sciences. It is a group theoretical effect resulting from two Lorentz boosts. The net effect is one boost followed or preceded by a rotation. This rotation can therefore be formulated as a product of three boosts. In relativistic kinematics, it is a rotation in the Lorentz frame where the particle is at res...
متن کاملVisualization of Thomas-Wigner Rotations
It is well known that a sequence of two non-collinear Lorentz boosts (pure Lorentz 1 transformations) does not correspond to a Lorentz boost, but involves a spatial rotation, the Wigner 2 or Thomas-Wigner rotation. We visualize the interrelation between this rotation and the relativity of 3 distant simultaneity by moving a Born-rigid object on a closed trajectory in several steps of uniform 4 p...
متن کاملThe Dependence of Lorentz Boost Generators on the Presence and
1: Introduction: Recent encounters with literature and colleagues have led me to the view that the dependence of Lorentz boost generators on interactions is not as widely recognized within the philosophy of physics community as it deserves to be. Indeed, as it needs to be if Lorentz boosts are to be properly assessed in Lorentz covariant quantum field theory. The lapse is characterized by, and,...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
دوره شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2005