Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Center-of-mass motion of a system of relativistic Dirac particles

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Few-Body Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Dedicated to the Third Centenary of the Publication of Principia: “Corollary IV.... and therefore the common center of gravity of all bodies acting upon each other (excluding external actions and impediments) is either at rest, or moves uniformly in a right line.” Is. Newton, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (S. Pepys, Julii 5, 1686, Londini)

Abstract

The relativistic center-of-mass motion for a system ofN fermions can be exactly separated because of the linearity of the Dirac operators in momenta which is not possible for quadratic Klein-Gordon particles. The covariant equations derived from Maxwell-Dirac field theory are considered. The center-of-mass equation is still a 4N-component spinor equation. We solve these equations for two- and three-body systems, as well as the relative motion for the non-interacting case, and discuss the quantum numbers and identification of eigenstates and eigenvalues. The results apply for both bound and scattering states.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kemmer, N.: Helv. Phys. Acta10, 48 (1937); Fermi, E., Yang, C. N.: Phys. Rev.16, 1739 (1949); Suura, H.: Phys. Rev. Lett.38, 636 (1977); Phys. Rev.D17, 409 (1976); Childers, R. W.: Phys. Rev.D26, 2902 (1982); Johannsen, D. C., Kaus, P.: Nuovo Cim.89A, 55 (1985). (These authors use, however, a time-dependent potential.)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barut, A. O.: In: Lecture Notes in Physics, Vol. 180, p. 332. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York-Tokyo: Springer 1983

    Google Scholar 

  3. Barut, A. O., Komy, S.: Fortschr. d. Phys.33, 309 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Pryce, M. H. L.: Proc. Roy. Soc.A95, 62 (1948)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Carot, J., et al.: Nuovo Cim.90B, 211 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Currie, D. G., Jordan, T. F., Sudarshan, E. C. G.: Rev. Mod. Phys.35, 350 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Leutwyler, H.: Nuovo Cim.37, 556 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  8. See e.g., Donaghue, J. F., Johnson, K.: Phys. Rev.21D, 1975 (1980); Wong, C. W.: Phys. Rev.24D, 1416 (1981); Tatur, S.: Phys. Lett.146B, 353 (1984); Phys. Rev.29D, 1035 (1984); Hosaka, A., et al.: Nuovo Cim.90A, 315 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Barut, A. O., Kraus, J.: Found. of Phys.13, 189 (1983); Barut, A. O., van Huele, J. F.: Phys. Rev.A32, 3187 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Barut, A. O., Unal, N.: Fortschr. d. Phys.33, 319 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. G. L. Strobel

    Present address: Department of Physics, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, GA, U.S.A.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Colorado, 80309-0390, Boulder, CO, U.S.A.

    A. O. Barut

  2. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Tübingen, D-7400, Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    G. L. Strobel

Authors
  1. A. O. Barut
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. L. Strobel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barut, A.O., Strobel, G.L. Center-of-mass motion of a system of relativistic Dirac particles. Few-Body Systems 1, 167–180 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076709

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076709

Keywords

Search

Navigation