Chapter 2

Linear Gravity

2.1 Energy momentum tensor

2.1.1 Redux of Noether’s first theorem
The theorem is demonstrated for a scalar field, for notational simplicity (no indices).
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S[φ] = d4 xL(φ, ∂µ φ) (2.1)

A general variation of the action with respect to an arbitrary variation in the fields is
given by δS = S[φ′ ] − S[φ]. The Lagrangian is a function of fields, and first derivatives
of the field, so Taylor expanding we get:
∂L ∂L
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δS = d4 x( δφ + ∂µ δφ)
∂φ ∂∂µ φ
C D
∂L ∂L ∂L
Ú Ú
4
= d x − ∂µ δφ + d4 x∂µ ( δφ) (2.2)
∂φ ∂∂µ φ ∂∂µ φ
Equations of motion are obtained if we demand that the variation of the field is 0 at
the boundary of the integration. Then, from the previous integral we get:
∂L ∂L
− ∂µ =0 (2.3)
∂φ ∂∂µ φ
A field that satisfies equations of motion is in jargon called on-shell.
A symmetry is a change δφs in the field (or in the whole system) such that the action
changes at most as a surface integral.
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δS = d4 x∂µ K µ (2.4)

Now, if the field is on-shell, and we make a variation of the action with a change δφs ,
which is a symmetry, the following identity comes from subtracting the previous two
equations 2.2 - 2.4
∂L
∂µ ( δφs − K µ ) = 0 ≡ ∂µ j µ (2.5)
∂∂µ φ

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Note that in this example φ has no indices, but in general, in the first term, there is a
sum over all indices of the field, for example

∂L
δφνρσ... (2.6)
∂∂µ φνρσ... s

2.1.2 Rules for derivations with respect to fields and derivatives

Scalar fields:
∂φ ∂(∂µ φ) ∂(∂ µ φ) ∂(∂µ φ) ∂(∂ α φ)
=1 = δµν = δνµ = ηµα = ηµα δνα = ηµν
∂φ ∂(∂ν φ) ∂(∂ ν φ) ∂(∂ ν φ) ∂(∂ ν φ)

Vector fields
∂Aµ ∂(∂µ Aν )
= δµν = δµα δνβ and similar for indices mixed up and down, see above
∂Aν ∂(∂α Aβ )

Symmetric Tensor fields

∂(hµν ) 1 ∂(∂ρ hµν ) 1

= (δµα δνβ + δµβ δνα ) = δρσ (δµα δνβ + δµβ δνα )
∂(hαβ ) 2 ∂(∂σ hαβ ) 2

and similar for indices mixed up and down, see above

2.1.3 Energy momentum tensor for Maxwell theory

1 1
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S= d x Fµν F µν =
4
d4 x(∂µ Aν − ∂ν Aµ )(∂ µ Aν − ∂ ν Aµ ) (2.7)
4 4
Energy momentum tensor is a conserved current for a spacetime translation.

∂L
jµ = δAν − K µ (2.8)
∂(∂µ Aν )

The effect of the translation to the vector field is:

δAµ = Aµ (x + ǫ) − Aµ (x) = ǫα ∂α Aµ (x)

The effect of the translation to the action is (since the Lagrangian is also a function)
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S[Aµ ] = d4 xǫα ∂α L (2.9)

The derivation is:

∂L
= F µν (2.10)
∂(∂µ Aν )
The conserved current is

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 j µ = F µν ǫα ∂α Aν − ǫµ L (2.11)
1
= ǫα (F µν ∂α Aν − δαµ Fρν F ρν ) (2.12)
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The canonical energy momentum tensor is:
1
T µα = F µν ∂ α Aν − η µα Fρν F ρν (2.13)
4
This tensor can be improved, made to be symmetric, but that I will show some other
time.