Symmetric energy-momentum tensors in relativistic field theories

Abstract

In relativistic field theories derived by a variation principle from a Lagrangian, the problem arises of finding a symmetric tensor of rank 2 which has vanishing divergence in virtue of the field equations and is such that taken over a space-like section is equal to the corresponding integral of the so-called canonical energy-momentum tensor. It is well known that the latter condition is satisfied if the difference between the two tensors is the divergence of an antisymmetric tensor of rank 3.