In a previous Mapleprimes question related to Dirac Matrices, I was asked how to represent the algebra of Dirac matrices with an identity matrix on the right-hand side of  %AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[j], Physics:-Dgamma[k]) = 2*g[j, k]. Since this is a hot-topic in general, in that, making it work, involves easy and useful functionality however somewhat hidden, not known in general, it passed through my mind that this may be of interest in general. (To reproduce the computations below you need to update your Physics library with the one distributed at the Maplesoft R&D Physics webpage.)

 

restart

with(Physics)

 

First of all, this shows the default algebra rules loaded when you load the Physics package, for the Pauli  and Dirac  matrices

Library:-DefaultAlgebraRules()

%Commutator(Physics:-Psigma[j], Physics:-Psigma[k]) = (2*I)*(Physics:-Psigma[1]*Physics:-LeviCivita[4, j, k, `~1`]+Physics:-Psigma[2]*Physics:-LeviCivita[4, j, k, `~2`]+Physics:-Psigma[3]*Physics:-LeviCivita[4, j, k, `~3`]), %AntiCommutator(Physics:-Psigma[j], Physics:-Psigma[k]) = 2*Physics:-KroneckerDelta[j, k], %AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[j], Physics:-Dgamma[k]) = 2*Physics:-g_[j, k]

(1)

Now, you can always overwrite these algebra rules.

 

For instance, to represent the algebra of Dirac matrices with an identity matrix on the right-hand side, one can proceed as follows.

First create the identity matrix. To emulate what we do with paper and pencil, where we write I to represent an identity matrix without having to see the actual table 2x2 with the number 1 in the diagonal and a bunch of 0, I will use the old matrix command, not the new Matrix (see more comments on this at the end). One way of entering this identity matrix is

`𝕀` := matrix(4, 4, proc (i, j) options operator, arrow; KroneckerDelta[i, j] end proc)

array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 4, [( 4, 1 ) = (0), ( 1, 2 ) = (0), ( 2, 3 ) = (0), ( 1, 3 ) = (0), ( 2, 2 ) = (1), ( 4, 2 ) = (0), ( 3, 4 ) = (0), ( 1, 4 ) = (0), ( 3, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 4 ) = (1), ( 3, 2 ) = (0), ( 1, 1 ) = (1), ( 2, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 3 ) = (0), ( 3, 3 ) = (1), ( 2, 4 ) = (0)  ] )

(2)

The most important advantage of the old matrix command is that I is of type algebraic and, consequently, this is the important thing, one can operate with it algebraically and its contents are not displayed:

type(`𝕀`, algebraic)

true

(3)

`𝕀`

`𝕀`

(4)

And so, most commands of the Maple library, that only work with objects of type algebraic, will handle the task. The contents are displayed only on demand, for instance using eval

eval(`𝕀`)

array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 4, [( 4, 1 ) = (0), ( 1, 2 ) = (0), ( 2, 3 ) = (0), ( 1, 3 ) = (0), ( 2, 2 ) = (1), ( 4, 2 ) = (0), ( 3, 4 ) = (0), ( 1, 4 ) = (0), ( 3, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 4 ) = (1), ( 3, 2 ) = (0), ( 1, 1 ) = (1), ( 2, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 3 ) = (0), ( 3, 3 ) = (1), ( 2, 4 ) = (0)  ] )

(5)

Returning to the topic at hands: set now the algebra the way you want, with an I matrix on the right-hand side, and without seeing a bunch of 0 and 1

%AntiCommutator(Dgamma[mu], Dgamma[nu]) = 2*g_[mu, nu]*`𝕀`

%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*`𝕀`

(6)

Setup(algebrarules = (%AntiCommutator(Physics[Dgamma][mu], Physics[Dgamma][nu]) = 2*Physics[g_][mu, nu]*`𝕀`))

[algebrarules = {%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*`𝕀`}]

(7)

And that is all.

 

Check it out

(%AntiCommutator = AntiCommutator)(Dgamma[mu], Dgamma[nu])

%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*`𝕀`

(8)

Set now a Dirac spinor; this is how you could do that, step-by-step.

 

Again you can use {vector, matrix, array} or {Vector, Matrix, Array}, and again, if you use the Upper case commands, you always have the components visible, and cannot compute with the object normally since they are not of type algebraic. So I use matrix, not Matrix, and matrix instead of vector so that the Dirac spinor that is both algebraic and matrix, is also displayed in the usual display as a "column vector"

 

_local(Psi)

Setup(anticommutativeprefix = {Psi, psi})

[anticommutativeprefix = {_lambda, psi, :-Psi}]

(9)

In addition, following your question, in this example I explicitly specify the components of the spinor, in any preferred way, for example here I use psi[j]

Psi := matrix(4, 1, [psi[1], psi[2], psi[3], psi[4]])

array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] )

(10)

Check it out:

Psi

Psi

(11)

type(Psi, algebraic)

true

(12)

Let's see all this working together by multiplying the anticommutator equation by Psi

(%AntiCommutator(Physics[Dgamma][mu], Physics[Dgamma][nu]) = 2*Physics[g_][mu, nu]*`𝕀`)*Psi

Physics:-`*`(%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]), Psi) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*Physics:-`*`(`𝕀`, Psi)

(13)

Suppose now that you want to see the matrix form of this equation

Library:-RewriteInMatrixForm(Physics[`*`](%AntiCommutator(Physics[Dgamma][mu], Physics[Dgamma][nu]), Psi) = 2*Physics[g_][mu, nu]*Physics[`*`](`𝕀`, Psi))

Physics:-`.`(%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]), array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] )) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*Physics:-`.`(array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 4, [( 4, 1 ) = (0), ( 1, 2 ) = (0), ( 2, 3 ) = (0), ( 1, 3 ) = (0), ( 2, 2 ) = (1), ( 4, 2 ) = (0), ( 3, 4 ) = (0), ( 1, 4 ) = (0), ( 3, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 4 ) = (1), ( 3, 2 ) = (0), ( 1, 1 ) = (1), ( 2, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 3 ) = (0), ( 3, 3 ) = (1), ( 2, 4 ) = (0)  ] ), array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] ))

(14)

The above has the matricial operations delayed; unleash them

%

Physics:-`.`(%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]), array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] )) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*(array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] ))

(15)

Or directly perform in one go the matrix operations behind (13)

Library:-PerformMatrixOperations(Physics[`*`](%AntiCommutator(Physics[Dgamma][mu], Physics[Dgamma][nu]), Psi) = 2*Physics[g_][mu, nu]*Physics[`*`](`𝕀`, Psi))

Physics:-`.`(%AntiCommutator(Physics:-Dgamma[mu], Physics:-Dgamma[nu]), array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] )) = 2*Physics:-g_[mu, nu]*(array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] ))

(16)

REMARK: As shown above, in general, the representation using lowercase commands allows you to use `*` or `.` depending on whether you want to represent the operation or perform the operation. For example this represents the operation, as an exact mimicry of what we do with paper and pencil, both regarding input and output

`𝕀`*Psi

Physics:-`*`(`𝕀`, Psi)

(17)

And this performs the operation

`𝕀`.Psi

array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] )

(18)

Or to only displaying the operation

Library:-RewriteInMatrixForm(Physics[`*`](`𝕀`, Psi))

Physics:-`.`(array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 4, [( 4, 1 ) = (0), ( 1, 2 ) = (0), ( 2, 3 ) = (0), ( 1, 3 ) = (0), ( 2, 2 ) = (1), ( 4, 2 ) = (0), ( 3, 4 ) = (0), ( 1, 4 ) = (0), ( 3, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 4 ) = (1), ( 3, 2 ) = (0), ( 1, 1 ) = (1), ( 2, 1 ) = (0), ( 4, 3 ) = (0), ( 3, 3 ) = (1), ( 2, 4 ) = (0)  ] ), array( 1 .. 4, 1 .. 1, [( 4, 1 ) = (psi[4]), ( 3, 1 ) = (psi[3]), ( 1, 1 ) = (psi[1]), ( 2, 1 ) = (psi[2])  ] ))

(19)

And to perform all these matricial operations within an algebraic expression,

Library:-PerformMatrixOperations(Physics[`*`](`𝕀`, Psi))

Matrix(%id = 18446744079185513758)

(20)

``

 


 

Download DiracAlgebraWithIdentityMatrix.mw

Edgardo S. Cheb-Terrab
Physics, Differential Equations and Mathematical Functions, Maplesoft


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