Generic composition of boosts: an elementary derivation of the Wigner rotation
Physics Education
2007-05-23 v1 General Physics
Abstract
Because of its apparent complexity, the discussion of Wigner rotation is usually reduced to the study of Thomas precession, which is too specific a case to allow a deep understanding of boost composition. However, by simple arguments and linear algebra, the result for the Wigner rotation is obtained straightforwardly, leading to a formula written in a manageable form, The result is exemplified in the context of the aberration of light.
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0211022,
title = {Generic composition of boosts: an elementary derivation of the Wigner rotation},
author = {Rafael Ferraro and Marc Thibeault},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0211022},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
8 pages,no figure