The total momentum of a thermodynamically closed system is unique, as is the total energy. Nevertheless, there is continuing confusion concerning the correct form of the momentum and the energy–momentum tensor for an electromagnetic field interacting with a linear dielectric medium. Here we investigate the energy and momentum in a closed system composed of a propagating electromagnetic field an...

The problem of the electromagnetic energy-momentum tensor is among the oldest and the most controversial in macroscopic electrodynamics. In the center of the issue is a dispute about the Minkowski and the Abraham tensors for moving media. An overview of the current situation is presented. After putting the discussion into a general Lagrange-Noether framework, the Minkowski tensor is recovered a...

In this paper, we give a new lower bound for the eigenvalues of the Dirac operator on a compact spin manifold. This estimate is motivated by the fact that in its limiting case a skew-symmetric tensor (see Equation (1.6)) appears that can be identified geometrically with the O’Neill tensor of a Riemannian flow, carrying a transversal parallel spinor. The Heisenberg group which is a fibration ove...

Almost a hundred years ago, two different expressions were proposed for the energy–momentum tensor of an electromagnetic wave in a dielectric. Minkowski’s tensor predicted an increase in the linear momentum of the wave on entering a dielectric medium, whereas Abraham’s tensor predicted its decrease. Theoretical arguments were advanced in favour of both sides, and experiments proved incapable of...

Almost 100 years ago, two different expressions were proposed for the energy-momentum tensor of an electromagnetic wave in a dielectric. Minkowski’s tensor predicted an increase in the linear momentum of the wave on entering a dielectric medium, whereas Abraham’s tensor predicted its decrease. Theoretical arguments were advanced in favor of both sides, and experiments proved incapable of distin...

We investigate matter symmetries of cylindrically symmetric static spacetimes. These are classified for both cases when the energymomentum tensor is non-degenerate and also when it is degenerate. It is found that the non-degenerate energy-momentum tensor gives either three, four, five, six, seven or ten independent matter collineations in which three are isometries and the rest are proper. The ...