Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-zzh7m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T00:40:48.555Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The complete symmetry group of a forced harmonic oscillator

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

P. G. L. Leach
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics, La Trobe University Bundoora, 3083 Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The complete symmetry group of a forced harmonic oscillator is shown to be Sl(3, R) in the one-dimensional case. Approaching the problem through the Hamiltonian invariants and the method of extended Lie groups, the method used is that of time-dependent point transformations. The result applies equally well to the forced repulsive oscillator and a particle moving under the influence of a coordinate-free force. The generalization to na-dimensional systems is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Mathematical Society 1980

References

[1]Anderson, R. L. and Davison, S. M., “A generalization of Lie's ‘counting’ theorem for second-order differential equations”, J. Math. Anal. Applic. 48 (1974), 301315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Bluman, G. W. and Cole, J. D., Similarity methods for differential equations (Springer Verlag, New York, 1974).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Günther, N. J. and Leach, P. G. L., “Generalized invariants for the time-dependent harmonic oscillator”, J. Math. Phys. 18 (1977), 572576.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Jauch, J. M. and Hill, E. L., “On the problem of degeneracy in quantum mechanics”, Phys. Rev. 57 (1940), 641645;CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fradkin, D. M., “Three dimensional isotropic oscillator and SU(3)”, Amer. J. Phys. 33 (1965), 207211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[5]Leach, P. G. L., “On the theory of time-dependent linear canonical transformations as applied to Hamiltonians of the harmonic oscillator type”, J. Math. Phys. 18 (1977), 16081611.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[6]Leach, P. G. L., “Invariants and wave-functions for some time-dependent harmonic oscillator type Hamiltonians”, J. Math. Phys. 18 (1977), 19021907.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Leach, P. G. L., “Quadratic Hamiltonians, quadratic invariants and the symmetry groups, SU(n)”, J. Math. Phys. 19 (1978), 446451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[8]Leach, P. G. L., “The invariants of quadratic Hamiltonians, I: Linear and quadratic invariants for the time-independent isotropic harmonic oscillator” (Preprint, Department of Applied Mathematics, La Trobe University, 03 1978).Google Scholar
[9]Leach, P. G. L., “Quadratic Hamiltonians: The four classes of quadratic invariants, their interrelations and symmetries” (Preprint, Department of Applied Mathematics, La Trobe University, 09 1978).Google Scholar
[10]Leach, P. G. L., “The complete symmetry group of the one-dimensional time-dependent harmonic oscillator” (Preprint, Department of Applied Mathematics, La Trobe University, 12 1978).Google Scholar
[11]Leach, P. G. L., “Sl(3, R) and the repulsive oscillator” (Preprint, Department of Applied Mathematics, La Trobe University, 05 1979).Google Scholar
[12]Lewis, H. R. Jr, “Class of exact invariants for classical and quantum time-dependent harmonic oscillators”, J. Math. Phys. 9 (1968), 19761986.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13]Lutzky, M., “Symmetry groups and conserved quantities for the harmonic oscillator”, J. Phys. A 11 (1978), 249258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[14]Lutzky, M., “Dynamical symmetries and conserved quantities”, J. Phys. A 12 (1979),CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[15]Prince, G. E. and Eliezer, C. J., “Symmetries of the time-dependent N-dimensional oscillator” (Preprint, Department of Applied Mathematics, La Trobe University, 03 1979).Google Scholar
[16]Prince, G. E., private communication, May, 1979.Google Scholar
[17]Wulfman, C. E. and Wybourne, B. G., “The Lie group of Newton's and Lagrange's equations for the harmonic oscillator”, J. Phys. A 9 (1976), 507518.CrossRefGoogle Scholar