English

Perihelion Precession in the Special Relativistic Two-Body Problem

Classical Physics 2009-09-25 v1 Plasma Physics

Abstract

The classical two-body system with Lorentz-invariant Coulomb interaction V=-k/rho is solved in 3+1 dimensions using the manifestly covariant Hamiltonian mechanics of Stueckelberg. Particular solutions for the reduced motion are obtained which correspond to bound attractive, unbound attractive, and repulsive scattering motion. A lack of perihelion precession is found in the bound attractive orbit, and the semi-classical hydrogen spectrum subsequently contains no fine structure corrections. It is argued that this prediction is indicative of the correct classical special relativistic two-body theory for the limit of no magnetic interaction.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.physics/9805032,
  title  = {Perihelion Precession in the Special Relativistic Two-Body Problem},
  author = {M. A. Trump and W. C. Schieve},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/9805032},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

9 pp., 1 GIF figure also viewable at http://order.ph.utexas.edu/mtrump/figures