Related papers: Gauge Fixing and Constrained Dynamics
We describe in detail how to eliminate nonphysical degrees of freedom in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of a constrained system. Two important and distinct steps in our method are the fixing of ambiguities in the dynamics and…
We present a general formalism for the Hamiltonian description of perturbation theory around any spatially homogeneous spacetime. We employ and refine the Dirac method for constrained systems, which is very well-suited to cosmological…
We apply the Dirac procedure for constrained systems to the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner formalism linearized around the Friedmann-Lemaitre universe. We explain and employ some basic concepts such as Dirac observables, Dirac brackets, gauge-fixing…
The way of finding all the constraints in the Hamiltonian formulation of singular (in particular, gauge) theories is called the Dirac procedure. The constraints are naturally classified according to the correspondig stages of this…
We propose a systematic procedure that solves the Dirac bracket commutators. The method is based on the Gauge Unfixing formalism, a procedure that converts second class systems into first class ones without the enlargement of the original…
We analyze the canonical treatment of classical constrained mechanical systems formulated with a discrete time. We prove that under very general conditions, it is possible to introduce nonsingular canonical transformations that preserve the…
We develop a complete Hamiltonian approach to the theory of perturbations around any spatially homogeneous spacetime. We employ the Dirac method for constrained systems which is well-suited to cosmological perturbations. We refine the…
Dirac's approach to gauge symmetries is discussed. We follow closely the steps that led him from his conjecture concerning the generators of gauge transformations {\it at a given time} --to be contrasted with the common view of gauge…
The gauge symmetries of a general dynamical system can be systematically obtained following either a Hamiltonean or a Lagrangean approach. In the former case, these symmetries are generated, according to Dirac's conjecture, by the first…
We present the Dirac Hamiltonian formalism for a pair of $1$-form fields with a topological-like potential coupled to first-order gravity in three-dimensional spacetime. By considering the complete phase space, we derive the full structure…
Unfortunately, the Hamiltonian mechanics of degenerate Lagrangian systems is usually presented as a mere recipe of Dirac, with no explanation as to how it works. Then it comes to discussing conjectures of whether all primary constraints…
When a Hamiltonian system is subject to constraints which depend explicitly on time, difficulties can arise in attempting to reduce the system to its physical phase space. Specifically, it is non-trivial to restrict the system in such a way…
In the Dirac approach to the generalized Hamiltonian formalism, dynamical systems with first- and second-class constraints are investigated. The classification and separation of constraints into the first- and second-class ones are…
How can we relate the constraint structure and constraint dynamics of the general gauge theory in the Hamiltonian formulation with specific features of the theory in the Lagrangian formulation, especially relate the constraint structure…
The Dirac constraint formalism is applied to linearized gravity to determine the structure of constraints and construct the canonical Hamiltonian. The diffeomorphism invariance of the Lagrangian is retrieved by a nontrivial generalization…
We provide a simultaneous derivation of the Dirac bracket and of the equations of motion for second-class constrained systems when the constraints are time-dependent. The necessity of time-dependent gauge-fixing conditions is shown in the…
Cosmological perturbation theory is an example of a gauge theory, where gauge transformations correspond to changes in the space-time coordinate system. To determine physical quantities, one is free to introduce gauge conditions (\ie to…
It is shown that any singular Lagrangian theory: 1) can be formulated without the use of constraints by introducing a Clairaut-type version of the Hamiltonian formalism; 2) leads to a special kind of nonabelian gauge theory which is similar…
In this paper, we present a detailed review/analysis of the Dirac quantisation of Hamiltonian systems with constraints. To this end, we use, as a guide, the physical example provided by the dynamics of a solid ball rolling, without…
This is a collection of lectures given at the University of Heidelberg, especially but not exclusively for people who want to learn something about the canonical approach to quantum gravity, which is however not included in these lectures.…