English

Algebraic and geometric structures of Special Relativity

Mathematical Physics 2011-04-11 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Theory math.MP

Abstract

I review, some of the algebraic and geometric structures that underlie the theory of Special Relativity. This includes a discussion of relativity as a symmetry principle, derivations of the Lorentz group, its composition law, its Lie algebra, comparison with the Galilei group, Einstein synchronization, the lattice of causally and chronologically complete regions in Minkowski space, rigid motion (the Noether-Herglotz theorem), and the geometry of rotating reference frames. Representation-theoretic aspects of the Lorentz group are not included. A series of appendices present some related mathematical material.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math-ph/0602018,
  title  = {Algebraic and geometric structures of Special Relativity},
  author = {Domenico Giulini},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math-ph/0602018},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

66 pages, 4 figures; v2 references added, misprints corrected

R2 v1 2026-07-22T16:27:24.367Z