Gauge invariance, time-dependent Foldy-Wouthuysen transformations, and the Pauli Hamiltonian
- 15 February 1977
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 15 (4) , 1063-1067
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.15.1063
Abstract
The Foldy-Wouthuysen derivation of the generalized Pauli Hamiltonian is reexamined, and described as an operator gauge transformation. The unitary inequivalence of the Pauli and Dirac Hamiltonians is shown to occur, because in general it is only the entire coupled field Hamiltonian which is gauge invariant, not the particle Hamiltonian alone.Keywords
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