THE KINEMATICS OF THE ANGULAR MOMENTUM OF A PARTICLE. 1. TRANSLATION BROADENING OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM
Abstract
The way a particle changes its angular momentum under inhomogeneous Lorentz transformations is wellknown classically. The problem is considered quantummechanically for particles of any mass and any spin. The case is considered where a particle has a definite angular momentum in one frame of reference and the probability distribution of angular momentum in a frame translated with respect to the original frame is calculated. The basic mathematical tool is the form for the infinitesimal generators of the inhomogeneous Lorentz group devised by Lomont and Moses in which the Hamiltonian, square of the angular momentum, z-component of angular momentum, and helicity are diagonal. The present paper and the projected one are important in multiple scattering problems, for it is possible using the results to take into account, to a certain degree at least, the effect of the selection rules. These rules are almost always ignored in multiple scattering problems. For example, it is shown that when the density of a gas is sufficiently low, radiative cooling goes on at a much faster rate when selection rules are taken into account than when they are ignored.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 24, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0621234
Entities
People
- Harry E. Moses
- Shou-chin Wang
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology