Abstract
The formulation of the Dirac equation withelectromagnetic field for a general space–time isspecialized to the Robertson–Walker metric. For aclass of physically meaningful electromagneticpotentials the angular part of the wave function separates asin the free-field case. The scheme is explicitly studiedfor a Coulomb potential. By using a realisticapproximation method one recovers the discrete energy levels of the hydrogen atom in Minkowski space.In case of static space–time, the result is exactfor zero curvature, while it is approximate for nonzerocurvature. The very good order of accuracy of the result is established by a comparison withsimilar qualitative and perturbative results.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Abramovitz, W., and Stegun, I. E. (1970). Handbook of Mathematical Functions, Dover, New York.
Audretsch, J., and Schäfer, G. (1978a). General Relativity and Gravitation, 9, 243.
Audretsch, J., and Schäfer, G. (1978b). General Relativity and Gravitation, 9, 489.
Berestetski, V., Lifchitz, E., and Pitayevski, L. (1972). Théorie Quantique Relativiste, Part 1, Editions MIR, Moscow.
Bethe, H. A., and Salpeter, E. E. (1957). Quantum Mechanics of One-and Two-Electron Atoms, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Buchdahl, H. A. (1962). Nuovo Cimento, 25, 486.
Buchdahl, H. A. (1982). Journal of Physics, 15, 1.
Chandrasekhar, S. (1983). The Mathematical Theory of Black Holes, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Darwin, G. G. (1928). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A, 118, 654.
Fierz, M., and Pauli, W. (1939). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A, 173, 3.
Gordon, W. (1928). Zeitschrift fu È r Physik, 48, 11.
Illge, R. (1993). Communications in Mathematical Physics, 158, 433.
Montaldi, E., and Zecca, A. (1994). International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 33, 1053.
Montaldi, E., and Zecca, A. (1998). International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 37, 995.
Newman, E. T., and Penrose, R. (1962). Journal of Mathematical Physics, 3, 566.
Parker, L. (1980a). Physical Review, 22, 1922.
Parker, L. (1980b). Physical Review Letters, 44, 1559.
Penrose, R., and Rindler, W. (1990). Spinors and Space-time, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Wünsch, V. (1985). General Relativity and Gravitation, 17, 15.
Zecca, A. (1995). International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 33, 1053.
Zecca, A. (1996). Journal of Mathematical Physics, 37, 874.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zecca, A. Dirac Equation with Central Potential: Discrete Spectrum of the Hydrogen Atom in the Robertson–Walker Space–Time. International Journal of Theoretical Physics 38, 945–954 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026677523439
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026677523439