The Many Faces of Maxwell, Dirac and Einstein Equations (Lecture Notes in Physics)

By Waldyr A. Rodrigues Jr., Edmundo C. de Oliveira,

Publisher: Springer
Number Of Pages: 455
Publication Date: 2007-05
Sales Rank: 898676
ISBN / ASIN: 3540712925
EAN: 9783540712923
Binding: Hardcover
Manufacturer: Springer
Studio: Springer

This book is a thoughtful exposition of the algebra and calculus of differential forms, the Clifford and Spin-Clifford bundles formalisms with emphasis in calculation procedures, and vistas to a formulation of some important concepts of differential geometry necessary for a deep understanding of spacetime physics. The formalism discloses the hidden geometrical nature of spinor fields. Maxwell, Dirac and Einstein fields, which were originally considered objects of a very different mathematical nature, are shown to have representatives as objects of the same mathematical nature, i.e. as sections of an appropriate Clifford bundle. This approach reveals unity in the diversity and also the many faces of the equations satisfied by those fields. Moreover, it suggests relationships which are hidden in the standard formalisms and new paths for research. Some foundational issues of relativistic field theories, in particular the one concerning the conditions for the existence of the conservation laws of energy-momentum and angular momentum in spacetime theories and many misconceptions concerning this issue is analyzed in details.