Freiburg 2008 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

GR: Fachverband Gravitation und Relativitätstheorie

GR 4: Klassische Allgemeine Relativitätstheorie

GR 4.2: Talk

Tuesday, March 4, 2008, 14:20–14:40, KGI-HS 1010

On the initial value problem of the Maxwell-Lorentz equations — •Volker Perlick — Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom

I am considering the coupled equations of motion for a charged dust and an electromagnetic field (Maxwell-Lorentz equations) on a general-relativistic spacetime. After decomposing the system of differential equations into evolution equations and constraints I am establishing a local existence and uniqueness theorem for the initial value problem. The Maxwell-Lorentz equations on a curved background are of relevance in astrophysics where they can be used to describe the electron component of a plasma; on a flat background, the Maxwell-Lorentz equations can be used, e.g., for modeling a particle beam in an accelerator.