Four-current

In special and general relativity, the '''four-current''' (technically the '''four-current density''')<ref> {{cite book |title=Introduction to Special Relativity |edition=2nd |first1=Wolfgang |last1=Rindler |author-link=Wolfgang Rindler |publisher=Oxford Science Publications |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-19-853952-0 |pages=103–107 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YKUPAQAAMAAJ }}</ref> is the four-dimensional analogue of the current density, with the dimension of electric charge per time per area. Also known as '''vector current''', it is used in the context of ''four-dimensional spacetime'', rather than separating time from three-dimensional space. It is a four-vector and is Lorentz covariant.

This article uses the summation convention for indices. See ''Covariance and contravariance of vectors'' for background on raised and lowered indices, and raising and lowering indices on how to translate between them.

== Definition ==

Using the Minkowski metric <math>\eta_{\mu\nu}</math> of metric signature {{nowrap|(+ − − −)}}, the four-current components are given by: : <math>J^\alpha = \left(c \rho, j^1 , j^2 , j^3 \right) = \left(c \rho, \mathbf{j} \right)</math> where: * {{mvar|c}} is the speed of light; * {{mvar|ρ}} is the volume charge density; * {{math|'''j'''}} is the conventional current density; * the dummy index {{mvar|α}} labels the spacetime dimensions.

=== Motion of charges in spacetime === {{see also|Lorentz transformations}}

This can also be expressed in terms of the four-velocity by the equation:<ref>Roald K. Wangsness, Electromagnetic Fields, 2nd edition (1986), p. 518, 519</ref><ref>Melvin Schwartz, Principles of Electrodynamics, Dover edition (1987), p. 122, 123</ref> : <math>J^\alpha = \rho_0 U^\alpha ,</math> where: * <math>\rho_0</math> is "the rest charge density", i.e., the charge density in the rest frame of the charge (as seen by an observer moving along with the local charge).

Qualitatively, the change in charge density (charge per unit volume) is due to the contracted volume of charge due to Lorentz contraction.

=== Physical interpretation ===

Charges (free or as a distribution) at rest will appear to remain at the same spatial position for some interval of time (as long as they're stationary). When they do move, this corresponds to changes in position, therefore the charges have velocity, and the motion of charge constitutes an electric current. This means that charge density is related to time, while current density is related to space.

The four-current unifies charge density (related to electricity) and current density (related to magnetism) in one electromagnetic entity.

== Continuity equation == {{main|Continuity equation}}

In special relativity, the statement of charge conservation is that the Lorentz invariant divergence of ''J'' is zero:<ref>J. D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, 3rd Edition (1999), p. 554</ref> : <math>\dfrac{\partial J^\alpha}{\partial x^\alpha} = \frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t} + \nabla \cdot \mathbf{j} = 0\,,</math> where <math>\partial/\partial x^\alpha </math> is the four-gradient. This is the continuity equation.

In general relativity, the continuity equation is written as: : <math>\nabla_\alpha J^\alpha =0\,,</math> where ∇''α'' is the covariant derivative.

== Maxwell's equations == {{main|Maxwell's equations|Maxwell's equations in curved spacetime}}

The four-current appears in two equivalent formulations of Maxwell's equations, in terms of the four-potential<ref>as [ref. 1, p519]</ref> when the Lorenz gauge condition is fulfilled: : <math>\Box A^\alpha = \mu_0 J^\alpha </math> where <math>\Box </math> is the D'Alembert operator, or the electromagnetic field tensor: : <math>\nabla_\alpha F^{\alpha\beta} = \mu_0 J^\beta</math> where ''μ''0 is the permeability of free space and ∇''α'' is the covariant derivative.

== Quantum field theory ==

The four-current density of charge is an essential component of the Lagrangian density used in quantum electrodynamics.<ref>{{cite book|author=Cottingham, W. Noel|author2=Greenwood, Derek A.|title=An introduction to the standard model of particle physics|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2003|page=67|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XSseBp7y19MC&pg=PA67|isbn=9780521588324}}</ref> In 1956 Semyon Gershtein and Yakov Zeldovich considered the conserved vector current (CVC) hypothesis for electroweak interactions.<ref>{{cite book|author=Marshak, Robert E.|author-link=Robert Marshak|title=Conceptual foundations of modern particle physics|publisher=World Scientific Publishing Company|year=1993|page=[https://archive.org/details/conceptualfounda0000mars/page/20 20]|url=https://archive.org/details/conceptualfounda0000mars|url-access=registration|isbn=9789813103368}}</ref><ref>Gershtein, S. S.; Zeldovich, Y. B. (1956), ''Soviet Phys. JETP'', '''2''' 576.</ref><ref>{{cite arXiv|author=Thomas, Anthony W.|author-link=Anthony William Thomas|title=CVC in particle physics|year=1996|eprint=nucl-th/9609052 }}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Four-Current}} Category:Electromagnetism Category:Four-vectors