Mechanics

Physics 151
Lecture 21
Canonical Transformations
(Chapter 9)

What We Did Last Time

Canonical transformations

Hamiltonian formalism is
invariant under canonical + scale transformations
Generating functions define canonical transformations
Four basic types of generating functions
F1 (q, Q, t ) F2 (q, P, t ) F3 ( p, Q, t ) F4 ( p, P, t )

 K + dF = p q H
PQ
i i
i i
dt

They are all practically equivalent

Used it to simplify a harmonic oscillator

Invariance of phase space

Four Basic Generators

Generator

Derivatives
Trivial Case
Qi = pi
F1
F1
F1 (q, Q, t )
F1 = qi Qi
pi =
Pi =
Pi = qi
Qi
qi
Qi = qi
F2
F2
F2 (q, P, t ) Qi Pi
F2 = qi Pi
pi =
Qi =
Pi = pi
Pi
qi
Qi = qi
F3
F3
F3 ( p, Q, t ) + qi pi
F3 = pi Qi
qi =
Pi =
Pi = pi
Qi
pi
Qi = pi
F4
F4
F4 ( p, P, t ) + qi pi Qi Pi qi =
F4 = pi Pi
Qi =
Pi = qi
Pi
pi

Goals for Today

Dig deeper into Canonical Transformations

Infinitesimal Canonical Transformation

Very small changes in q and p
Define generator G for an ICT
Direct Conditions for Canonical Transformation
Necessary-and-sufficient conditions for any CT
Poisson Bracket
Invariant of any Canonical Transformation
Connect to Infinitesimal Canonical Transformation

Infinitesimal CT

Consider a CT in which q, p are changed by small

(infinitesimal) amounts
Qi = qi + qi

Pi = pi + pi

Infinitesimal Canonical
Transformation (ICT)

ICT is close to identity transf.

Generating function should be F2 (q, P, t ) = qi Pi + G (q, P, t )
Identity CT generator

Look at the
generator table
Since is
infinitesimal

Small

F2
F2
G
G
pi =
Qi =
= Pi +
= qi +
qi
qi
Pi
Pi

G
G
G
G
pi =

qi =

qi
Qi
Pi
pi

Generator of ICT

An ICT is generated by F2 (q, P, t ) = qi Pi + G (q, P, t )

Qi = qi +

G
Pi

Pi = pi

G
qi

G is called (inaccurately) the generator of the ICT

Since the CT is infinitesimal, G may be expressed in terms
of q or Q, p or P, interchangeably
G
G
For example: G = G (q, p, t ) Qi = qi +
Pi = pi
qi
pi

Hamiltonian

Consider G = H (q, p, t )
H
H
= qi pi =
qi =
= p i
pi
qi

What does look like? Infinitesimal time t

qi = qi t
pi = p i t

Hamiltonian is the generator of infinitesimal time

transformation

In QM, you learn that Hamiltonian is the operator that

represents advance of time

Direct Conditions

Consider a restricted Canonical Transformation

Generator has no t dependence

F
=0
K (Q, P) = H (q, p )
t

Hamiltonian
is unchanged

Q and P depends only on q and p

Qi = Qi (q, p ) Pi = Pi (q, p)
Qi
Qi
Qi H Qi H



Qi =
qj +
pj =

q j
p j
q j p j p j q j
Pi
Pi
Pi H Pi H

Pi =
q j +
p j =

q j
p j
q j p j p j q j

Hamiltons
equations

Direct Conditions
On the other hand, Hamiltons eqns say
Qi H Qi H
H H q j H p j


Qi =

Qi =
=
+
q j p j p j q j
Pi q j Pi p j Pi

H
H q j H p j

Pi =
=

Qi
q j Qi p j Qi

Direct
Conditions
for a Canonical
Transformation

Pi H Pi H

Pi =

q j p j p j q j

Qi
p j

q
P

j q , p i Q , P

Qi
q j

p
P

i Q , P
j q, p

Pi

q j

Pi

p j

p j
=

Qi Q , P
q , p

q j
=

q , p Qi Q , P

Direct Conditions

Qi
q j

Pi Q , P
p j q , p

Pi

q j

Pi

p j

p j
=

i Q , P
q , p

q j
=

q , p i Q , P

Direct Conditions are necessary and sufficient for a

time-independent transformation to be canonical

Qi
p j

q j q , p Pi Q , P

You can use them to test a CT

In fact, this applies to all Canonical Transformations

But the proof on the last slide doesnt work

G
G

qi =
Pi
pi

Infinitesimal CT

pi =

Does an ICT satisfy the DCs?

Qi (qi + qi )
2G
=
= ij +
q j
q j
Pi q j

p j

Qi (qi + qi )
2G
=
=
p j
p j
Pi p j

q j

Pi ( pi + pi )
2G
=
=
q j
q j
Qi q j

p j

Pi ( pi + pi )
2G
=
= ij
p j
p j
Qi p j

Pi
Pi

=
=

Qi
q j
Qi

Yes!

=
=

( Pj p j )
Pi
(Q j q j )
Pi
( Pj p j )
Qi
(Q j q j )
Qi

G
G

qi
Qi

2G
= ij +
Pi q j
2G
=
Pi p j
2G
=
Qi q j
2G
= ij
Qi p j

Successive CTs

Two successive CTs make a CT

dF1

PQ
= pi qi H
i i K +
dt

dF2
 K

= PQ
Yi X i M +
i i
dt

d ( F1 + F2 )

= pi qi K
Yi X i M +
dt

True for unrestricted CTs

Direct Conditions can also be chained, e.g.,

Qi
p j

q j q , p Pi Q , P

X i

Q j

X i
p j

q
Y

j q , p i X ,Y

Pj
=

Q , P Yi X ,Y

Easy to prove

Unrestricted CT

Now we consider a general, time-dependent CT

Qi = Qi (q, p, t )

Pi = Pi (q, p, t )

Lets do it in two steps

q, p
Q(q, p, t0 ), P(q, p, t0 )

Time-independent CT

F
K=H+
t

Q(q, p, t ), P(q, p, t )

Time-only CT
Fixed time

First step is t-independent Satisfies the DCs

We must show that the second step satisfies the DCs

Unrestricted CT

Concentrate on a time-only CT Q(t0 ), P(t0 )

Q(t ), P(t )

Break t t0 into pieces of infinitesimal time dt

Q(t0 ), P(t0 )
Q(t0 + dt ), P(t0 + dt )
Q(t ), P(t )

Each step is an ICT Satisfies Direct Conditions

Integrating gives us what we needed

All Canonical Transformations satisfies the

Direct Conditions, and vice versa

The proof worked because a time-only CT is a continuous

transformation, parameterized by t

Poisson Bracket

For u and v expressed in terms of q and p

u v u v

Poisson Bracket
[u, v ]q , p
qi pi pi qi

This weird construction has many useful features

If you know QM, this is analogous to the commutator
1
1
[u, v ] (uv vu ) for two operators u and v
i=
i=

Lets start with a few basic rules

Poisson Bracket Identities

For quantities u, v, w and

constants a, b
[u, u ] = 0

[u, v ]q , p

u v u v

qi pi pi qi

[u , v] = [v, u ]

[au + bv, w] = a[u , w] + b[v, w]

[uv, w] = [u , w]v + u[v, w]

All easy to prove

Jacobis Identity

[u ,[v, w]] + [v,[ w, u ]] + [ w,[u, v]] = 0

This one is worth trying.
See Goldstein if you are lost

Fundamental Poisson Brackets

Consider PBs of q and p themselves

q j qk q j qk
[q j , qk ] =
=0

qi pi pi qi

[ p j , pk ] = 0

q j pk q j pk

= jk
[q j , pk ] =
qi pi pi qi

[ p j , qk ] = jk

Called the Fundamental Poisson Brackets

Now we consider a Canonical Transformation

q, p Q, P

What happens to the Fundamental PB?

Fundamental PB and CT
[Q j , Qk ]q , p

Q j Qk Q j Qk
Q j qi Q j pi
Q j
=

=
=0
qi pi pi qi
qi Pk pi Pk
Pk

[ Pj , Pk ]q , p

Pj Pk Pj Pk Pj qi Pj pi
Pj
=

=
+
=
=0
qi pi pi qi qi Qk pi Qk Qk

[Q j , Pk ]q , p

Q j Pk Q j Pk Q j qi Q j pi Q j
=

=
+
=
= jk
qi pi pi qi qi Qk pi Qk Qk

[ Pj , Qk ]q , p = [Qk , Pj ] = jk

Used Direct Conditions here

Fundamental Poisson Brackets are invariant under CT

Poisson Bracket and CT

What happens to a Poisson Bracket under CT?

For a time-independent CT

[u, v ]Q, P

u v u v

Qi Pi Pi Qi

u q j u p j v qk v pk u q j u p j v qk v pk
=
+
+

q P + p P q Q + p Q

q
Q
p
Q
q
P
p
P
j
i
k
i
k
i
j
i
k
i
k
i
j i
j i
=
=

u v
q j qk
u v
q j pk

[q j , qk ]Q , P +

jk

= [u , v ]q , p

u v
p j qk

u v
q j pk

[q j , pk ]Q , P +

u v
p j qk

[ p j , qk ]Q , P +

u v
p j pk

[ p j , pk ]Q , P

jk

Poisson Brackets are invariant under CT

Invariance of Poisson Bracket

Poisson Brackets are canonical invariants

True for any Canonical Transformations

Goldstein shows this using simplectic approach

We dont have to specify q, p in each PB

[u, v ]q , p

[u , v ]

good enough

ICT and Poisson Bracket

Infinitesimal CT can be expressed neatly with a PB

G
For a generator G, Qi = qi +
pi
On the other hand

G
Pi = pi
qi

qi G qi G
G

=
= qi
[qi , G ] =
q p p q
pi
j
j
j j
pi G pi G
G

=
= pi
[ pi , G ] =
q p p q
qi
j
j
j j

We can generalize further

ICT and Poisson Bracket

For an arbitrary function u(q,p,t), the ICT does

ICT
u

u + u = u +

u
u
u
qi +
pi + t
qi
pi
t

u G u G u
=u+

+ t

qi pi pi qi t

u
= u + [u, G ] + t
t
u
That is u = [u , G ] + t
t

Infinitesimal Time Transf.

Hamiltonian generates infinitesimal time transf.

Applying the Poisson Bracket rule

du
u
u
u = t[u, H ] + t
= [u , H ] +
t
t
dt
Have you seen this in QM?
u
=0
If u is a constant of motion, [u , H ] +
t

That is,

u
[H , u] =
t

u is a constant of motion

Infinitesimal Time Transf.

If u does not depend explicitly on time,

du
u
= [u , H ] +
= [u , H ]
t
dt

Try this on q and p

q H qi H H
qi = [qi , H ] = i

=
q j p j p j q j pi

pi H pi H
H
p i = [ pi , H ] =

=
q j p j p j q j
qi

Hamiltons
equations!

Summary

Direct Conditions

Necessary and sufficient

for Canonical Transf.

Infinitesimal CT
Poisson Bracket

Qi

q j

p j
=

Q ,P
q, p

Qi

p j

q j
=

Q ,P
q, p

P
i
q j

p j
=

q, p
Q ,P

Pi

p j

q j
=

Q ,P
q, p

[u , v ]

u v u v

qi pi pi qi

Canonical invariant
Fundamental PB [qi , q j ] = [ pi , p j ] = 0 [qi , p j ] = [ pi , q j ] = ij
u
ICT expressed by u = [u , G ] + t
t
Infinitesimal time transf. generated by Hamiltonian