On a duality invariant action principle in vacuum electrodynamics

Abstract

Although Maxwell's vacuum field equations are invariant under the so-called duality rotation, the usual Lagrangian density for the electromagnetic field, which is bilinear in the first derivatives of the electromagnetic potentials, does not exhibit that invariance. It is shown that if one takes the components of the electromagnetic field tensor as field variables then the most general Lorentz invariant Lagrangian density bilinear in the electromagnetic fields and their first derivatives is determined uniquely by the requirement of duality invariance. The ensuing field equations are identical with the iterated Maxwell equations.