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Fix a Hamiltonian $H(q, p, t)$.

Definition: A transformation $(q, p, t)\mapsto (Q(q, p, t), P(q, p, t), t)$ is said to be canonical iff for the Kamiltonian $K$ defined as $H(q, p, t)=K(Q(q, p, t), P(q, p, t), t)$, $(q(t), p(t))$ satisfies Hamilton's equations implies that $(Q(q(t), p(t), t), P(q(t), p(t), t))$ satisfies Kamiltonian's equations.

Then I've been able to show that $$ \frac{dQ_i}{dt} = \frac{\partial K}{\partial Q_k}\{Q_i, Q_k\} + \frac{\partial K}{\partial P_k}\{Q_i, P_k\} + \frac{\partial Q_i}{\partial t}.\tag{1} $$ Now if the transformation is to be canonical, then we must have the above equal to $\frac{\partial K}{\partial P_i}$

Question: Can I conclude that $\frac{\partial Q_i}{\partial t} = 0$, $\{Q_i, Q_k\} = 0$, and $\{Q_i, P_k\}=\delta_{ik}$?

Qmechanic
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Atom
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1 Answers1

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The definition is not correct.

A canonical transformation is defined by requiring that the Poisson bracket are preserved.

Then it follows that the Hamiltonian form of the equation of motion is preserved as well with a new Hamiltonian. The converse is generally false.

Consider, for a pair of reals such that $a\cdot b\neq 0$,

$P:=ap$, $Q:=bq$ and $K(Q,P):=abH(q,p)$.

In this case the Hamiltonian form of the equation of motion is preserved, but

$\{Q,P\} = ab \{q,p\}= ab$ instead of $1$.

ADDENDUM.

Let us consider the spacetime of phases $\mathbb{R} \times F$, where $F$ is the space of phases and $\mathbb{R}$ the temporal axis (a better description would use a fiber bundle).

Definition. A bijective and bi-differentiable coordinate transform between two local charts $$T= t+c\:,\quad Q=Q(t,q,p)\:, \quad P=P(t,q,p)$$ on $\mathbb{R}\times F$ (where from now on $t$ and $T$ are always the natural coordinate on the temporal axis $\mathbb{R}$ up to an additive constant) is said to be canonical, if it preserves the Poisson brackets: $$\{f,g\}_{t, q,p} = \{f,g\}_{T,Q,P} $$ for every choice of smooth functions $f$ and $g$.

A canonical transformation is completely canonical if it has the form $$T= t+c\:,\quad Q=Q(q,p)\:, \quad P=P(q,p)\:.$$ $\diamondsuit$

N.B: The above preservation of Poisson bracket is equivalent to requiring that $$\{Q^k,Q^h\}_{t,q,p}= \{P_k,P_h\}_{t,q,p}=0\:,\quad \{Q^k,P_h\}_{t,q,p}= \delta^k_h\:.$$

We have the following result.

Proposition 1 [Preservation of Hamilton equations]. Let a bijective and bi-differentiable coordinate transform $$T= t+c\:,\quad Q=Q(t,q,p)\:, \quad P=P(t,q,p)$$ between two local charts on $\mathbb{R}\times F$ be canonical and suppose that the domain of the former coordinate system has the form $I\times G$, where $I$ is an open interval and $G\subset F$ is an open connected and simply connected set.

If $H=H(t,q,p)$ is a (smooth) Hamilton function, then there is a second Hamilton function $K=K(T,Q,P)$ such that the solutions of the Hamilton equations referred to $H$, translated into the new coordinates, are solutions of the Hamilton equations referred to $K$ and vice versa.

$K$ is determined by $H$ up to an additive arbitrary function of $T$.

If the coordinate transformation is completely canonical, then it is always possible to choose $K(T,Q,P)=H(t,q,p)$. $\blacksquare$

Remark. The preservation of Hamiltonian form of the equation of motion does not imply that the transformation of coordinate is canonical as I illustrated with the example above.

There are equivalent definitions of canonical transformations.

Proposition 2 [Equivalent conditions to canonicity]. Consider a bijective and bi-differentiable coordinate transform $$T= t+c\:,\quad Q=Q(t,q,p)\:, \quad P=P(t,q,p)$$ between two local charts on $\mathbb{R}\times F$

Suppose that the domain of the former chart has the form $I\times G$, where $I$ is an open interval and $G\subset F$ is an open connected and simply connected set.

The following facts are equivalent

  1. The transformation of coordinates is canonical.

  2. $\sum_{k=1}^n dp_k \wedge dq^k = \sum_{k=1}^n dP_k \wedge dQ^k$.

  3. For every function $H=H(t,q,p)$ there is a function $K=K(T,Q,P)$ such that $$\sum_{k=1}^n p_kdq^k - H dt = \sum_{k=1}^n P_kdQ^k - K dT + df$$ for some smooth function $f$.

  4. The Jacobian matrix $\frac{\partial (P,Q)}{\partial (p,q)}$ belongs to $Sp(n,\mathbb{R})$ everywhere. $\blacksquare$

Remarks

  1. $\sum_{k=1}^n dp_k \wedge dq^k$ is said symplectic form on $F$.

  2. $\sum_{k=1}^n p_kdq^k - H dt$ is called Poincaré-Cartan 1-form, and the confition 3 above is namebd Lie's condition.

  • Thanks. But what I meant was that if the Poisson brackets are preserved, what is a possible relation between H and K? – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 08:27
  • Or is it that Poisson's brackets are preserved for at least one K? – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 08:29
  • And even if I impose that Poisson brackets be preserved, then I will still have $\frac{\partial Q_i}{\partial t}$ in (1) in my question, if I choose K as I defined. – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 08:33
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    The correct definition of canonical transformation I wrote above is equivalent to the requirement that for every $H$ there is a $K$ such that the solutions of H equations are solution of the K equations and viceversa. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 08:35
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    If the transformations explicitly depend on time, then $K\neq H$. Otherwise they coincide (when passing to the new variables). – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 08:37
  • I'd be blessed (and my question would be fully answered) if you could supply a proof of this, or a reference? – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 08:37
  • The construction of $K$ is involved in general, but it necessarily exists in simply connected domains. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 08:39
  • I'm not after construction, but after an existence proof. – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 08:42
  • Maybe you can find it in Fasano-Marmi's textbook (English edition). If you understand Italian, the proof appears in my recent book on Analytical Mechanics (which should be translated and published in English during this year). – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 08:42
  • However the most direct approach to an answer uses the so-called Poincaré-Cartan one-form. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 08:46
  • God, I've to sit down and understand this advance math sometime. Until then, I'll take the proposition to be true since you say. :) – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 08:49
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    Sorry I was too sloppy: the equivalent condition is that for every Hamiltonian $H$ there is another Hamiltonian K such that the two Poincaré Cartan forms coincide up to a total differential. This is a stronger requirement than the one I wrote above. $pdq -Hdt = PdQ -Kdt + df$. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 08:55
  • It implies the condition I wrote before, but it is a bit stronger. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 09:03
  • Just to sum up, you mean that the correct definition of canonical transformations (which is equivalent to the fact that for every $H$, there will be a $K$ such that ...) is that $pdq -Hdt = PdQ -Kdt + df$, which implies that the Poisson brackets are preserved. Am I correct? – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 09:08
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    Well, the definition is just the preservation of Poisson brackets. This definition is equivalent to the requirement that for every H there is K such that the identity you wrote is true for some df. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 09:13
  • Okay, got it! Thanks! – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 09:14
  • @Atom I completed my answer by adding several results I think you should be interested in. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 11:51
  • OMG, Valter! Can't thank you enough! This is tremendously useful to me. That you took out time to answer even this unpopular question with such details, is quite commendable! – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 13:29
  • Just one last thing: Can you confirm if the condition 3 (Lie’s condition) is just the thing that is used in creating generating-functions? (E.g. see Eq. (4.9) in the resource I mention in the footnote of the original post.) – Atom Feb 20 '21 at 19:16
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    Yes, that condition is both the starting point for the construction of generating functions and for the development of Hamilton-Jacobi theory. – Valter Moretti Feb 20 '21 at 19:59