Classical Charged Particles (Third Edition)Originally written in 1964, this famous text is a study of the classical theory of charged particles. Many applications treat electrons as point particles. At the same time, there is a widespread belief that the theory of point particles is beset with various difficulties such as an infinite electrostatic self-energy, a rather doubtful equation of motion which admits physically meaningless solutions, violation of causality and others. The classical theory of charged particles has been largely ignored and has been left in an incomplete state since the discovery of quantum mechanics. Despite the great efforts of men such as Lorentz, Abraham, Poincaré, and Dirac, it is usually regarded as a “lost cause”. But thanks to progress made just a few years ago, the author is able to resolve the various problems and to complete this unfinished theory successfully. |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 A Short History of the Classical Theory of Charged Particles | 8 |
3 Foundations of Classical Mechanics | 26 |
4 The MaxwellLorentz Field | 61 |
5 Electromagnetic Radiation | 106 |
6 The Charged Particle | 123 |
7 Generalizations | 188 |
8 The Relations of the Classical LorentzInvariant ChargedParticleTheory to Other Levels of Theory | 209 |
9 The Theorys Structure and Place in Physics | 241 |
Supplement | 255 |
Appendices | 265 |
Indices | 297 |
| 299 | |
| 301 | |
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Common terms and phrases
action integral approximation asymptotic conditions causality charged particle classical physics classical theory components conservation laws coordinate system corresponding Coulomb field covariant current density curvature defined derivative differential Dirac dynamics electrodynamics electromagnetic field electron energy equations of motion exactly expressed Fext field equations field strengths finite follows force four-vector function gauge invariance geodesic given homogeneous inertial system interaction Lagrangian light cone limit Lorentz group Lorentz invariance Lorentz transformations Lorentz-Dirac equation mass point mathematical Maxwell-Lorentz equations mc² means Minkowski space Newton's Newtonian Noether's theorem nonrelativistic observer obtained orthogonal particle equations point charge potentials principle of equivalence problem quantum mechanics radiation field radiation reaction relativistic requires rest system restricted result retarded rotation satisfied Section self-energy solution spacelike spacelike plane special relativity surface symmetry tensor three-vector timelike tion uniform acceleration valid vanishes vector velocity world line yields αλ μν