Energy-momentum tensor of the electromagnetic field
Gregory W. Horndeski, J. Wainwright
Abstract
Gregory W. Horndeski, J. Wainwright
Abstract
In this paper we investigate the energy-momentum tensor of the most general second-order vector-tensor theory of gravitation and electromagnetism which has field equations which are (i) derivable from a variational principle, (ii) consistent with the notion of conservation of charge, and (iii) compatible with Maxwell's equations in a flat space. This energy-momentum tensor turns out to be quadratic in the first partial derivatives of the electromagnetic field tensor and depends upon the curvature tensor. The asymptotic behavior of this energy-momentum tensor is examined for solutions to Maxwell's equations in Minkowski space, and it is demonstrated that this energy-momentum tensor predicts regions of negative energy density in the vicinity of point sources.
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In this paper we investigate the energy-momentum tensor of the most general second-order vector-tensor theory of gravitation and electromagnetism which has field equations which are (i) derivable from a variational principle, (ii) consistent with the notion of conservation of charge, and (iii) compatible with Maxwell's equations in a flat space. This energy-momentum tensor turns out to be quadratic in the first partial derivatives of the electromagnetic field tensor and depends upon the curvature tensor. The asymptotic behavior of this energy-momentum tensor is examined for solutions to Maxwell's equations in Minkowski space, and it is demonstrated that this energy-momentum tensor predicts regions of negative energy density in the vicinity of point sources.
Key concepts: Lanczos tensor, Tensor density, Electromagnetic tensor, Stress–energy tensor, Physics, Tensor contraction, Tensor field, Tensor (intrinsic definition)