Symplectic approach to the theory of quantized fields. I

Abstract

Our aim in this paper the first one of a series concerned with the problem of field quantization starting from the symplectic structure underlying the classical theory, is to build up the variational theory necessary to all further constructions. The basic notions are the vertical bundle $$\bar B$$ and thestructure 1-form θ used to define thegeneralized infinitesimal contact transformation which allows us to state and solve the variational problem related to field physics.Giving a system of modulevalued differential forms of different degree on the vertical bundle which solutions are the stationary cross sections is the main result in the paper. In this scheme the Euler-Lagrange classical equations are the expressions induced by such a system of differential forms on any cross section of the vertical bundle. This gives us a complete linearization of the Euler-Lagrange equations and, starting from it, a natural globalization of these equations. Finally, the notion of variational problem invariant by a Lie group is defined in this scheme, Noether's theorem related to such invariant problem is formulated and an intrinsic version of the so-called Noether invariants of classical variational calculus is obtained.