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The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation

Abstract

The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation of Dirac Hamiltonian is generally taught as a mathematical trick that allows one to obtain a two-component theory in the low-energy limit. It is not often emphasised that the transformed representation is the only one in which one can take meaningful classical limit, in terms of particles and antiparticles. The history and physics of this transformation are briefly revised. 12 refs.
Publication Date:
Dec 31, 1994
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
UM-P-94/78; RCHEP-94/23.
Reference Number:
SCA: 662100; PA: AIX-26:017886; EDB-95:032164; SN: 95001330000
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: [1994]
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; DIRAC EQUATION; FOLDY-WOUTHUYSEN TRANSFORM; HISTORICAL ASPECTS; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; HAMILTONIANS; MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS; NEWTON METHOD; QUANTUM MECHANICS; WIGNER THEORY; 662100; GENERAL THEORY OF PARTICLES AND FIELDS
Sponsoring Organizations:
Australian Research Council, Canberra, ACT (Australia); USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
10114025
Research Organizations:
Melbourne Univ., Parkville, VIC (Australia). School of Physics
Country of Origin:
Australia
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE95616277; CNN: Grant DOE/ER40561; TRN: AU9414246017886
Availability:
OSTI; NTIS (US Sales Only); INIS
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
9 p.
Announcement Date:
Jun 30, 2005

Citation Formats

Costella, J P, and McKellar, B H.J. The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. Australia: N. p., 1994. Web.
Costella, J P, & McKellar, B H.J. The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. Australia.
Costella, J P, and McKellar, B H.J. 1994. "The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation." Australia.
@misc{etde_10114025,
title = {The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation}
author = {Costella, J P, and McKellar, B H.J.}
abstractNote = {The Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation of Dirac Hamiltonian is generally taught as a mathematical trick that allows one to obtain a two-component theory in the low-energy limit. It is not often emphasised that the transformed representation is the only one in which one can take meaningful classical limit, in terms of particles and antiparticles. The history and physics of this transformation are briefly revised. 12 refs.}
place = {Australia}
year = {1994}
month = {Dec}
}