English

Derivation of Source-Free Maxwell and Gravitational Radiation Equations by Group Theoretical Methods

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2009-11-11 v1

Abstract

We derive source-free Maxwell-like equations in flat spacetime for any helicity "j" by comparing the transformation properties of the 2(2j+1) states that carry the manifestly covariant representations of the inhomogeneous Lorentz group with the transformation properties of the two helicity "j" states that carry the irreducible representations of this group. The set of constraints so derived involves a pair of curl equations and a pair of divergence equations. These reduce to the free-field Maxwell equations for j=1 and the analogous equations coupling the gravito-electric and the gravito-magnetic fields for j=2.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0604023,
  title  = {Derivation of Source-Free Maxwell and Gravitational Radiation Equations by Group Theoretical Methods},
  author = {Jairzinho Ramos and Robert Gilmore},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0604023},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

15 pages, no figures, to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys. D