Generators of Symmetry Transformations for Constrained Hamiltonian Systems

Abstract

A detailed analysis is given of the properties of symmetry transformation generators for singular Lagrangian systems. It is shown that they are very similar in their phase space structure, especially in their dependence on primary first class constraints, to the Hamiltonian. The manner in which gauge transformation generators are built up out of primary and secondary first class constraints is explicitly elucidated. The behaviour of the invariance group of the theory with respect to adoption of Dirac brackets and gauge constraints is clarified.