English

Electric/magnetic reciprocity in premetric electrodynamics with and without magnetic charge, and the complex electromagnetic field

Classical Physics 2009-11-10 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

We extend an axiomatic approach to classical electrodynamics, which we developed recently, to the case of non-vanishing magnetic charge. Then two axioms, namely those of the existence of the Lorentz force (Axiom 2) and of magnetic flux conservation (Axiom 3) have to be generalized. Electric/magnetic reciprocity constitutes a guiding principle for this undertaking. The extension of the axioms can be implemented at a premetric stage, i.e., when metric and connection of spacetime don't play a role. Complex Riemann-Silberstein fields of the form (E±iH,D±iB)(E\pm i {\cal H},{\cal D}\pm i B) have a natural place in the theory, independent of the Hodge duality mapping defined by any particular metric.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.physics/0401083,
  title  = {Electric/magnetic reciprocity in premetric electrodynamics with and without magnetic charge, and the complex electromagnetic field},
  author = {Friedrich W. Hehl and Yuri N. Obukhov},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0401083},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

13 pages in latex, 3 references added, text slightly revised