The non-relativistic limits of the Maxwell and Dirac equations: the role of Galilean and gauge invariance

• Published in: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 2003-06, Vol.34 (2), p.161-187
• Main Authors: Holland, Peter, Brown, Harvey R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Covariance; Dirac equations; Galilean invariance; Gauge invariance; History of science; Maxwell equations; Non-relativistic limits of relativistic theories; Paradigms; Philosophy of science; Physics; Quantum physics; Relativism
• ISSN: 1355-2198; 1879-2502
• DOI: 10.1016/S1355-2198(03)00005-4

The aim of this paper is to illustrate four properties of the non-relativistic limits of relativistic theories: (a) that a massless relativistic field may have a meaningful non-relativistic limit, (b) that a relativistic field may have more than one non-relativistic limit, (c) that coupled relativistic systems may be “more relativistic” than their uncoupled counterparts, and (d) that the properties of the non-relativistic limit of a dynamical equation may differ from those obtained when the limiting equation is based directly on exact Galilean kinematics. These properties are demonstrated through an examination of the non-relativistic limit of the familiar equations of first-quantized QED, i.e., the Dirac and Maxwell equations. The conditions under which each set of equations admits non-relativistic limits are given, particular attention being given to a gauge-invariant formulation of the limiting process especially as it applies to the electromagnetic potentials. The difference between the properties of a limiting theory and an exactly Galilean covariant theory based on the same dynamical equation is demonstrated by examination of the Pauli equation.