Mechanics
Physics 151
Lecture 21
Canonical Transformations
(Chapter 9)
What We Did Last Time
Canonical transformations
Hamiltonian formalism is
invariant under canonical + scale transformations
Generating functions define canonical transformations
Four basic types of generating functions
F1 (q, Q, t ) F2 (q, P, t ) F3 ( p, Q, t ) F4 ( p, P, t )
K + dF = p q H
PQ
i i
i i
dt
They are all practically equivalent
Used it to simplify a harmonic oscillator
Invariance of phase space
Four Basic Generators
Generator
Derivatives
Trivial Case
Qi = pi
F1
F1
F1 (q, Q, t )
F1 = qi Qi
pi =
Pi =
Pi = qi
Qi
qi
Qi = qi
F2
F2
F2 (q, P, t ) Qi Pi
F2 = qi Pi
pi =
Qi =
Pi = pi
Pi
qi
Qi = qi
F3
F3
F3 ( p, Q, t ) + qi pi
F3 = pi Qi
qi =
Pi =
Pi = pi
Qi
pi
Qi = pi
F4
F4
F4 ( p, P, t ) + qi pi Qi Pi qi =
F4 = pi Pi
Qi =
Pi = qi
Pi
pi
Goals for Today
Dig deeper into Canonical Transformations
Infinitesimal Canonical Transformation
Very small changes in q and p
Define generator G for an ICT
Direct Conditions for Canonical Transformation
Necessary-and-sufficient conditions for any CT
Poisson Bracket
Invariant of any Canonical Transformation
Connect to Infinitesimal Canonical Transformation
Infinitesimal CT
Consider a CT in which q, p are changed by small
(infinitesimal) amounts
Qi = qi + qi
Pi = pi + pi
Infinitesimal Canonical
Transformation (ICT)
ICT is close to identity transf.
Generating function should be F2 (q, P, t ) = qi Pi + G (q, P, t )
Identity CT generator
Look at the
generator table
Since is
infinitesimal
Small
F2
F2
G
G
pi =
Qi =
= Pi +
= qi +
qi
qi
Pi
Pi
G
G
G
G
pi =
qi =
qi
Qi
Pi
pi
Generator of ICT
An ICT is generated by F2 (q, P, t ) = qi Pi + G (q, P, t )
Qi = qi +
G
Pi
Pi = pi
G
qi
G is called (inaccurately) the generator of the ICT
Since the CT is infinitesimal, G may be expressed in terms
of q or Q, p or P, interchangeably
G
G
For example: G = G (q, p, t ) Qi = qi +
Pi = pi
qi
pi
Hamiltonian
Consider G = H (q, p, t )
H
H
= qi pi =
qi =
= p i
pi
qi
What does look like? Infinitesimal time t
qi = qi t
pi = p i t
Hamiltonian is the generator of infinitesimal time
transformation
In QM, you learn that Hamiltonian is the operator that
represents advance of time
Direct Conditions
Consider a restricted Canonical Transformation
Generator has no t dependence
F
=0
K (Q, P) = H (q, p )
t
Hamiltonian
is unchanged
Q and P depends only on q and p
Qi = Qi (q, p ) Pi = Pi (q, p)
Qi
Qi
Qi H Qi H
Qi =
qj +
pj =
q j
p j
q j p j p j q j
Pi
Pi
Pi H Pi H
Pi =
q j +
p j =
q j
p j
q j p j p j q j
Hamiltons
equations
Direct Conditions
On the other hand, Hamiltons eqns say
Qi H Qi H
H H q j H p j
Qi =
Qi =
=
+
q j p j p j q j
Pi q j Pi p j Pi
H
H q j H p j
Pi =
=
Qi
q j Qi p j Qi
Direct
Conditions
for a Canonical
Transformation
Pi H Pi H
Pi =
q j p j p j q j
Qi
p j
q
P
j q , p i Q , P
Qi
q j
p
P
i Q , P
j q, p
Pi
q j
Pi
p j
p j
=
Qi Q , P
q , p
q j
=
q , p Qi Q , P
Direct Conditions
Qi
q j
Pi Q , P
p j q , p
Pi
q j
Pi
p j
p j
=
i Q , P
q , p
q j
=
q , p i Q , P
Direct Conditions are necessary and sufficient for a
time-independent transformation to be canonical
Qi
p j
q j q , p Pi Q , P
You can use them to test a CT
In fact, this applies to all Canonical Transformations
But the proof on the last slide doesnt work
G
G
qi =
Pi
pi
Infinitesimal CT
pi =
Does an ICT satisfy the DCs?
Qi (qi + qi )
2G
=
= ij +
q j
q j
Pi q j
p j
Qi (qi + qi )
2G
=
=
p j
p j
Pi p j
q j
Pi ( pi + pi )
2G
=
=
q j
q j
Qi q j
p j
Pi ( pi + pi )
2G
=
= ij
p j
p j
Qi p j
Pi
Pi
=
=
Qi
q j
Qi
Yes!
=
=
( Pj p j )
Pi
(Q j q j )
Pi
( Pj p j )
Qi
(Q j q j )
Qi
G
G
qi
Qi
2G
= ij +
Pi q j
2G
=
Pi p j
2G
=
Qi q j
2G
= ij
Qi p j
Successive CTs
Two successive CTs make a CT
dF1
PQ
= pi qi H
i i K +
dt
dF2
K
= PQ
Yi X i M +
i i
dt
d ( F1 + F2 )
= pi qi K
Yi X i M +
dt
True for unrestricted CTs
Direct Conditions can also be chained, e.g.,
Qi
p j
q j q , p Pi Q , P
X i
Q j
X i
p j
q
Y
j q , p i X ,Y
Pj
=
Q , P Yi X ,Y
Easy to prove
Unrestricted CT
Now we consider a general, time-dependent CT
Qi = Qi (q, p, t )
Pi = Pi (q, p, t )
Lets do it in two steps
q, p
Q(q, p, t0 ), P(q, p, t0 )
Time-independent CT
F
K=H+
t
Q(q, p, t ), P(q, p, t )
Time-only CT
Fixed time
First step is t-independent Satisfies the DCs
We must show that the second step satisfies the DCs
Unrestricted CT
Concentrate on a time-only CT Q(t0 ), P(t0 )
Q(t ), P(t )
Break t t0 into pieces of infinitesimal time dt
Q(t0 ), P(t0 )
Q(t0 + dt ), P(t0 + dt )
Q(t ), P(t )
Each step is an ICT Satisfies Direct Conditions
Integrating gives us what we needed
All Canonical Transformations satisfies the
Direct Conditions, and vice versa
The proof worked because a time-only CT is a continuous
transformation, parameterized by t
Poisson Bracket
For u and v expressed in terms of q and p
u v u v
Poisson Bracket
[u, v ]q , p
qi pi pi qi
This weird construction has many useful features
If you know QM, this is analogous to the commutator
1
1
[u, v ] (uv vu ) for two operators u and v
i=
i=
Lets start with a few basic rules
Poisson Bracket Identities
For quantities u, v, w and
constants a, b
[u, u ] = 0
[u, v ]q , p
u v u v
qi pi pi qi
[u , v] = [v, u ]
[au + bv, w] = a[u , w] + b[v, w]
[uv, w] = [u , w]v + u[v, w]
All easy to prove
Jacobis Identity
[u ,[v, w]] + [v,[ w, u ]] + [ w,[u, v]] = 0
This one is worth trying.
See Goldstein if you are lost
Fundamental Poisson Brackets
Consider PBs of q and p themselves
q j qk q j qk
[q j , qk ] =
=0
qi pi pi qi
[ p j , pk ] = 0
q j pk q j pk
= jk
[q j , pk ] =
qi pi pi qi
[ p j , qk ] = jk
Called the Fundamental Poisson Brackets
Now we consider a Canonical Transformation
q, p Q, P
What happens to the Fundamental PB?
Fundamental PB and CT
[Q j , Qk ]q , p
Q j Qk Q j Qk
Q j qi Q j pi
Q j
=
=
=0
qi pi pi qi
qi Pk pi Pk
Pk
[ Pj , Pk ]q , p
Pj Pk Pj Pk Pj qi Pj pi
Pj
=
=
+
=
=0
qi pi pi qi qi Qk pi Qk Qk
[Q j , Pk ]q , p
Q j Pk Q j Pk Q j qi Q j pi Q j
=
=
+
=
= jk
qi pi pi qi qi Qk pi Qk Qk
[ Pj , Qk ]q , p = [Qk , Pj ] = jk
Used Direct Conditions here
Fundamental Poisson Brackets are invariant under CT
Poisson Bracket and CT
What happens to a Poisson Bracket under CT?
For a time-independent CT
[u, v ]Q, P
u v u v
Qi Pi Pi Qi
u q j u p j v qk v pk u q j u p j v qk v pk
=
+
+
q P + p P q Q + p Q
q
Q
p
Q
q
P
p
P
j
i
k
i
k
i
j
i
k
i
k
i
j i
j i
=
=
u v
q j qk
u v
q j pk
[q j , qk ]Q , P +
jk
= [u , v ]q , p
u v
p j qk
u v
q j pk
[q j , pk ]Q , P +
u v
p j qk
[ p j , qk ]Q , P +
u v
p j pk
[ p j , pk ]Q , P
jk
Poisson Brackets are invariant under CT
Invariance of Poisson Bracket
Poisson Brackets are canonical invariants
True for any Canonical Transformations
Goldstein shows this using simplectic approach
We dont have to specify q, p in each PB
[u, v ]q , p
[u , v ]
good enough
ICT and Poisson Bracket
Infinitesimal CT can be expressed neatly with a PB
G
For a generator G, Qi = qi +
pi
On the other hand
G
Pi = pi
qi
qi G qi G
G
=
= qi
[qi , G ] =
q p p q
pi
j
j
j j
pi G pi G
G
=
= pi
[ pi , G ] =
q p p q
qi
j
j
j j
We can generalize further
ICT and Poisson Bracket
For an arbitrary function u(q,p,t), the ICT does
ICT
u
u + u = u +
u
u
u
qi +
pi + t
qi
pi
t
u G u G u
=u+
+ t
qi pi pi qi t
u
= u + [u, G ] + t
t
u
That is u = [u , G ] + t
t
Infinitesimal Time Transf.
Hamiltonian generates infinitesimal time transf.
Applying the Poisson Bracket rule
du
u
u
u = t[u, H ] + t
= [u , H ] +
t
t
dt
Have you seen this in QM?
u
=0
If u is a constant of motion, [u , H ] +
t
That is,
u
[H , u] =
t
u is a constant of motion
Infinitesimal Time Transf.
If u does not depend explicitly on time,
du
u
= [u , H ] +
= [u , H ]
t
dt
Try this on q and p
q H qi H H
qi = [qi , H ] = i
=
q j p j p j q j pi
pi H pi H
H
p i = [ pi , H ] =
=
q j p j p j q j
qi
Hamiltons
equations!
Summary
Direct Conditions
Necessary and sufficient
for Canonical Transf.
Infinitesimal CT
Poisson Bracket
Qi
q j
p j
=
Q ,P
q, p
Qi
p j
q j
=
Q ,P
q, p
P
i
q j
p j
=
q, p
Q ,P
Pi
p j
q j
=
Q ,P
q, p
[u , v ]
u v u v
qi pi pi qi
Canonical invariant
Fundamental PB [qi , q j ] = [ pi , p j ] = 0 [qi , p j ] = [ pi , q j ] = ij
u
ICT expressed by u = [u , G ] + t
t
Infinitesimal time transf. generated by Hamiltonian
