Chapter 1
Lorentz Group and Lorentz Invariance
In studying Lorentz-invariant wave equations, it is essential that we put our under- standing of the Lorentz group on firm ground. We first define the Lorentz transfor- mation as any transformation that keeps the 4-vector inner product invariant, and proceed to classify such transformations according to the determinant of the transfor- mation matrix and the sign of the time component. We then introduce the generators of the Lorentz group by which any Lorentz transformation continuously connected to the identity can be written in an exponential form. The generators of the Lorentz group will later play a critical role in finding the transformation property of the Dirac spinors.
1.1 Lorentz Boost
Throughout this book, we will use a unit system in which the speed of light c is unity. This may be accomplished for example by taking the unit of time to be one second and that of length to be 2.99792458 × 1010 cm (this number is exact1), or taking the unit of length to be 1 cm and that of time to be (2.99792458 × 1010)−1 second. How it is accomplished is irrelevant at this point. Suppose an inertial frame K (space-time coordinates labeled by t, x, y, z)ismov- ing with velocity β in another inertial frame K (space-time coordinates labeled by t ,x ,y ,z )asshown in Figure 1.1. The 3-component velocity of the origin of K
1One cm is defined (1983) such that the speed of light in vacuum is 2.99792458 × 1010 cm per second, where one second is defined (1967) to be 9192631770 times the oscillation period of the hyper-fine splitting of the Cs133 ground state.
5 6 CHAPTER 1. LORENTZ GROUP AND LORENTZ INVARIANCE
y' K' frame y K frame
(E',P') (E,P)
K β − β K' K' x' K x
Figure 1.1: The origin of frame K is moving with velocity β =(β,0, 0) in frame K , and the origin of frame K is moving with velocity −β in frame K. The axes x and x are parallel in both frames, and similarly for y and z axes. A particle has energy momentum (E,P )inframe K and (E , P )inframe K .