Dynamics of continua and particles from general covariance of newtonian gravitation theory

Abstract

The principle of general covariance, which states that the total action functional in General Relativity is independent of coordinate transformations, is shown to be also applicable to the four-dimensional geometric theory of Newtonian gravitation. It leads to the correct conservation (or balance) equations of continuum mechanics as well as the equations of motion of test particles in a gravitational field. The degeneracy of the“metric” of Newtonian space-time forces us to introduce a “gauge field” which fixes the connection and leads to a conserved current, the mass flow. The particle equations are also derived from an invariant Hamiltonian structure on the extended Galilei group and a minimal interaction principle. One not only finds the same equations of motion but even the same gauge fields.