Gravitation and electromagnetism

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · Found. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00711492· OSTI ID:7109418

Pandres, D Jr

We obtain a general relativistic unification of gravitation and electromagnetism by simply (1) restricting the metric so that it admits an orthonormal tetrad representation in which the spacelike vectors are curl-free, and (2) identifying the timelike vector as the potential for an electromagnetic field whose only sources are singularites. It follows that: (A) The energy density is everywhere nonnegative, (B) the space is flat if and only if the electromagnetic field vanishes, (C) the vector potential (through which all curvature enters) admits no invariant algebraic decomposition, and satisfies the covariant Lorentz condition identically, (D) the theory is free of ''prior geometry,'' (E) the electromagnetic self-energy of a spherically symmetric point charge equals MC/sup 2/, (F) particles deviate from geodesic motion according to the Lorentz force law with radiative reaction, and (G) particles with all electromagnetic multipole structures are included.

• Research Organization: North Georgia College, Dahlonega, Georgia
• OSTI ID: 7109418
• Journal Information: Found. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Found. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 7:5; ISSN FNDPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

657003* -- Theoretical & Mathematical Physics-- Relativity & Gravitation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EINSTEIN FIELD EQUATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETISM
ENERGY-MOMENTUM TENSOR
EQUATIONS
FIELD EQUATIONS
FIELD THEORIES
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
GRAVITATION
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
LORENTZ INVARIANCE
MAGNETISM
METRICS
TENSORS