Questions tagged [hamiltonian-mechanics]
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103 questions
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Is there a high level reason why the inverse square law of gravitation yields periodic orbits without precession?
Given a spherically symmetric potential $V: {\bf R}^d \to {\bf R}$, smooth away from the origin, one can consider the Newtonian equations of motion
$$ \frac{d^2}{dt^2} x = - (\nabla V)(x)$$
for a ...
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are there natural examples of classical mechanics that happens on a symplectic manifold that isn't a cotangent bundle?
I'm curious about just how far the abstraction to a symplectic formalism can be justified by appeal to actual physical examples. There's good motivation, for example, for working over an arbitrary ...
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About a letter by Richard Palais of 1965.
In Cushman and Bates, Global Aspects of Classical Integrable Systems, 1997, I have read
In a widely circulated but unpublished letter in 1965, Palais explained the symplectic formulation of ...
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Hamiltonian, Lagrangian and Newton formalism of mechanics
If my thinking is wrong please let me know. I have little knowledge on beyond-college physics.
For research purposes, I read a few introductions to these three formalisms of classical mechanics [1,2,...
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Generalizing "variation of parameters"
I'm stuck on generalizing an ODE formula and could use your help!
One way to think about "variation of parameters" is that it bakes the solution $z(t)=e^{At}z_0$ of $z'=Az$ (here $z(t)\in\mathbb{R}^n$...
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Mathematical pendulum and $\mathbb C P^n$
I am very puzzled by the following remark on p.346 in Arnold's book "Mathematical methods of classical mechanics":
Another method of construction the same symplectic structure on complex ...
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Lifting a Diffeomorphism to the Cotangent Bundle
Both Abraham-Marsden and Da Silva seem to imply that given a symplectomorphism $g:T^\ast X\to T^\ast X$ which preserves the tautological $1$-form $\alpha$, it must be that $g$ is fibre preserving.
...
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Mechanical systems with their configuration space being a Lie group
Cross-posted from Physics.SE
In Marsden, Ratiu - Introduction To Mechanics And Symmetry there is a certain focus on reducing cotangent bundles of Lie groups. More precisely, if $G$ is a Lie group, ...
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An algebraic Hamiltonian vector field with a finite number of periodic orbits(1)
Edit: The previous version of this question contained 2 part. In this new version, I deleted the first part and move it to a new question.
Is There a polynomial Hamiltonian $H(x,y,z,w)=zP(x,y)+wQ(...
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What are the compact Lagrangian submanifolds of a twisted cotangent bundle?
In Hamiltonian dynamics and symplectic geometry a twisted cotangent bundle is the cotangent space $T^*N$ of a closed (compact without boundary) $n$-manifold $N$ equipped with a twisted symplectic ...
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When does a Lagrangian dynamical system have an equivalent Hamiltonian description?
Let a Lagrangian dynamical system with $n$ degrees of freedom and configuration space $\mathbb{R}^n$
(i.e. phase space $\mathbb{R}^{2n}$), which is described by $L=L(q_{i},\dot{q}_{i},t)$, $i=1,2,......
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Symplectic reduction of 4-manifolds with circle actions
Let $(M,\omega)$ be a $4$-dimensional closed symplectic manifold. Assume there exists a Hamiltonian $S^1$-action on $M$, let $\mu:M \to \mathbb{R}^*$ be its moment map and let $M_{\text{red}}=\mu^{-1}(...
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Constants of motion for Droop equation
There is an important ODE system in biochemistry, Droop's equations:
$$s'=1-s-\frac{sx}{a_1+s}$$
$$x'=a_2\big(1-\frac{1}{q}\big)x-x$$
$$q'=\frac{a_3s}{a_1+s}-a_2(q-1)$$
Relatively easy one finds a ...
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Why is geometric quantization (esp. Berezin-Toeplitz quantization) interesting for a symplectic geometer/topologist?
I know that many symplectic geometers are interested in quantization as well.
From what I understood, quantization isn't expected to be used as a tool to answer symplectic questions (as in ...
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From time-dependent Hamiltonians to time-dependent symplectic/Poisson structures
Let $(M,\{.,.\})$ be a smooth Poisson manifold, and let $H\in C^\infty(M\times\mathbb{R},\mathbb{R})$.
Question: Does there exist $H_0\in C^\infty(M,\mathbb{R})$ and smooth parameter-dependent Poisson ...
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Momentum a cotangent vector
Apparently one identifies the configuration space in physics often with a manifold $M$. The tangent bundle $TM$ is then the space of all possible positions and velocities.
Furthermore, many sources ...
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Practical example of Hamiltonian reduction
I know what is the Liouville integrability: given a Hamiltonian with $n$ degrees of freedom, with $n$ independent constants of motion in involution, the Hamiltonian can be brought to the form $H(p_1, \...
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Calogero-Moser system: relationship between dual variables and the KKS construction
This is a question about the relationship between two ways of viewing the Calogero-Moser system.
$$\ddot x_i=2\sum_{j\neq i}\frac{1}{(x_i-x_j)^3}\qquad i=1,\ldots N$$
By introducing the $N$ ...
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Integrable systems and Arnol'd - Liouville theorem
A system with a $2n$-dimensional phase space is Liouville-integrable if it admits $n$ independent first intgrals in involution.
Here integrable means that you can, in some way, solve the equations of ...
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Uniqueness of Birkhoff Normal Form and KAM theory for Symplectomorphims
I am starting to work with Hamiltonian Dynamics and I have been taking a look at some of the basic stuff in KAM theory. I have posted part of this question at MSE but as I did not get any response I ...
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Reference request: Liouville integrability of a torus action of small dimension on a symplectic manifold
Consider a hamiltonian toric acion on a connected real symplectic manifold of dimension 2n. The dimension of the torus, which we denote by $k$, may be less than $n$. The generators of the action will ...
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Poincaré recurrence and its implications for statistical physics and the arrow of time
A very important theorem in mathematical physics is Poincaré’s recurrence theorem.
As you recall, this theorem states that given a dynamical system $(M , \phi , \mu)$ with $ \mu M < +\infty$, for ...
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Non-Hamiltonian actions in physics
I was reading the following article when I came across the interesting sentence
"non-Hamiltonian [symplectic group] actions also occur in physics"
I took a cursory look at the article cited but ...
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Hamiltonian dynamics on cotangent bundle
I'm stuck with the following claim made in Section 13.1 of Y-G. Oh's book "Symplectic topology and Floer homology". Assume that $N$ is a differential manifold and $S_0 ,S_1\subseteq N$ two ...
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A question in elementary differential geometry
Let $M$ be a finite dimensional manifold of constant curvature $\kappa$. Consider a solution of the Hamilton--Jacobi equation
$$ \partial_t u + |\nabla u|^2 = 0. $$
Can we give a precise estimate of a ...
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Why does the Lax pair formalism look so similar to the Hamiltonian equations, and what is the significance of this?
If we have a Lax pair for a system, which we'll call operators $L$ and $B$, then the system
\begin{align*}L\psi&=\lambda\psi\\
\psi_t&=B\psi\end{align*}
has as its integrability condition ...
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An algebraic Hamiltonian vector field with a finite number of periodic orbits (2)
Is there a polynomial Hamiltonian $H:\mathbb{R}^{4}\to \mathbb{R}$ such that the number of nontrivial periodic orbits of the corresponding Hamiltonian vector field $X_{H}$ is finite but different ...
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1
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Why is every Hamiltonian system locally integrable?
It is common knowledge that every Hamiltonian system is locally integrable (away from singular points of the Hamiltonian), meaning that, in a neighborhood of each point of the $2n$-dimensional ...
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Deformation quantization of Poisson bracket without star-product
Kontsevich's formality theorem implies in particular that star-products on a $C^\infty$-manifold $M$,
$$f\star g = fg + \sum_{k\geq1} \hbar^k B_k(f,g),\qquad f,g\in C^\infty(M),$$ where $B_k$ are ...
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Reference Request: KAM Theory
I intend to learn KAM Theory. Could you please suggest me a good book on KAM Theory to begin with, where main results are discussed with complete proofs.
Thank you.
4
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Contradiction between fixed points of a hamiltonian diffeomorphism of a torus and quasi-periodic motion on a torus
Again a very simple question. I currently hold two contradictory ideas in my head
1) A hamiltonian diffeomorphism of a torus necessarily has fixed points
2) most hamiltonian actions on a torus in an ...
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Dynamical analogue of Morse theory
Is there a Hamiltonian $H:\mathbb{R}^{2n} \to \mathbb{R}$ with the following property:
For two regular values $a<b$ for which $[a,b]$ consists of regular values, the dynamics of $X_H$ on $H^{...
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Some dynamical and Bundle questions arising from certain map $P:TS^{n}\to S^{n}$
Define the map $$P:TS^{n}\to S^{n} \;\;\;\text{by}\;\; P((x,v))=\frac{x+v}{\parallel x+v \parallel}$$ where $$TS^{n}=\{(x,v)\in S^{n} \
\times \mathbb{R}^{n+1}\mid v \perp x \}$$
This map is ...
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Generating function for composition of symplectomorphisms
Given two symplectomorphisms $T_1: (q_1, p_1):\longrightarrow (q_2, p_2)$ and
$T_2: (q_2, p_2):\longrightarrow (q_3, p_3)$ and corresponding generating functions $F_1(q_1, q_2)$ and $F_2(q_2, q_3)$, ...
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When is a Divergence-Free Vector Field on the Tangent Bundle of a Riemannian Manifold Hamiltonian?
(Reposted from https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2589600/when-is-a-divergence-free-vector-field-on-the-tangent-bundle-of-a-riemannian-man) Starting with a closed, connected Riemannian manifold $...
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Symplectic forms and sign of eigenvalues
This question has come out while reading J. Moser "New Aspects in the Theory of Stability
of Hamiltonian Systems". I'm particularly interested to the Appendix, where one investigates the stability of ...
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Weinstein's local classification of Lagrangian foliations
In the paper "Symplectic manifolds and their Lagrangian submanifolds", Weinstein showed that locally all the Lagrangian foliations are symplectomorhic to the fiber foliation of a cotangent bundle.
I ...
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Existence results for Lagrangian solutions to the Incompressible Euler Equation?
It is known that if a function (which we shall call the lagrangian flow, or lagrangian trajectory) $$X:(\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Z})^3 \times [0,T] \to \mathbb{R}^3$$ with $X \in H^1_t$ (i.e. has weak time ...
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Geometrical proof of Noether Theorem [duplicate]
I am reading a very nice Physics book "The standard model in a nutshell" by D.Goldberg and just read there a mention to Noether Theorem. Of course I knew this outstanding theorem very well from ...
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Why can every twist map be realized as the time-1 map of a time-dependent Hamiltonian?
if have problems getting my head around the following claim made
by Moser in "Monotone twist mappings and the calculus of variations" and Gole in "Symplectic twist maps".
Setting:
Let $F : \mathbb{R}...
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Applications of Hamiltonian formalism to classical mechanics
In many courses in theoretical classical mechanics Hamiltonian formalism takes an important place. However I did not see it applied to problems of classical mechanics (unless one expands the scope of ...
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Hamilton equations for Classical Field Theory
This is a second part of my previous question. I'm trying to figure it out by myself how to deduce Hamilton's equations in classical field theory as it is usually obtained in physics books.
Notation: ...
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Integrability of Schroedinger's equation
Consider the periodic nonlinear Schrödinger equation
$$-i \partial_t u + \Delta u = f(|u|)u, \qquad u=u(t,x) \in \mathbb{C}, \; t\in \mathbb{R}, \; x\in \mathbb{T}^n,$$
where $\mathbb{T}:= \mathbb{R}/\...
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Exact solution to a periodic linear ODE sought
We have been studying a Hamiltonian system that possesses a one-parameter family of periodic orbits, depending on the energy level $h$. We "know" via various non-rigorous means that these ...
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Uniform continuity of Hamiltonian flow
Let $h \in C^2_{\mathrm{ub}}(\mathbb{R}^{2n})$, where $C_{\mathrm{ub}}^k$ consists of $C^k$-functions that are bounded and uniformly continuous along with their derivatives up to $k$th-order.
It is ...
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Hamiltonian, energy, and conservation laws of nonlinear PDEs
In many PDEs, I see the papers mention the energy of the PDE. And some papers and books mention Hamiltonians. I know that integrable systems have infinitely many conservation laws and these laws are ...
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Generalizing HJB equation for a terminal stopping time
The following is one version of the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation:
Suppose we have a Brownian motion $W$ and a counting process $N$ with a stochastic intensity $\lambda$ on a time interval $[...
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Perturbed vs. unperturbed Hamiltonian system
Let's take a time-periodic Hamiltonian $H(t,x,y)$ on $\mathbb{R}^2$ and
apply an arbitrarily small time-independent perturbation to $H$ via
$$
\tilde H (t,x,y) = H(t,x,y) + \epsilon V(x,y),
$$
where $...
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When the integrable system defines a moment map?
Assume $\mathcal{M}$ is a compact symplectic $2n$-dimensional manifold with a Hamiltonian action of the torus $\mathbb{T}^n$. Given a family of functions $F=(f_1,\ldots,f_n)$ defining an integrable ...
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Is composition of discrete Hamiltonian flows integrable?
Consider $\Bbb{R}^2$ with the usual symplectic form $$\omega = dx \wedge dy$$
For a function $H \colon \Bbb{R}^2 \to \Bbb{R}$, let $X_H$ be the Hamiltonian vector field. Then the map $\Bbb{R}^2 \to \...
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