Lorentz invariant phase space

C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Fermis Golden Rule (number 2)

Transition rate

2
2
W=
mif (E )

density of states
available for energy E
(phase space factor)

Matrix element of transition

2
2

m
=

if if

f
if
i

|mif|2 maybe unknown

extreme case it is a constant so the kinematics of the
final state is purely governed by (E)

Therefore, we need to calculate (E) to

understand the dynamics of the matrix element
C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Density of states

State of motion of a single particle with a momentum between 0 to p

confined to volume V is specified by a point in 6-D phase space
(x,y,z,px,py,pz)
Limit to which a momentum and spatial coordinate can be specified
is h from the uncertainty principle
Elemental volume of phase space is h3

Therefore, the number of states available to an individual particle, Ni,

is:
Ni =

total phase space volume

1
V
3
=
dx
dy
dz
dp
dp
dp
=
d
p
x
y
z
3
3
elementary volume
(2)
(2 )

For a system of n particles the number of available final states, Nn, is

the product of the individual particles:
V

N n =
3
(2 )

3
d
pi
i =1

C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Phase space
The phase space factor is defined as the number of
states per unit energy interval per unit volume (V=1)
n
1
dN n
d
3
=
d
pi
(E ) =

3n

dE (2 ) dE i =1

However, not all momenta are independent because of

momentum conservation so there is the constraint:
n
p i P = 0 where P is the total momentum
i =1

Can be accommodated by integrating over n-1 particles

1
d n 1 3
d pi
(E ) =

3n

(2 ) dE i =1
C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Phase space continued

This can be re-expressed more usefully using Dirac
functions to take care of the momentum conservation
Write the momentum conservation as :
n 1
n 1

3
p n P p i = 0 so d pn p n P p i = 1
i =1
i =1

n
n 1

1
d n 1 3
1
d

3
(E ) =
d pi =
d pi p n P p i

3n
3n

dE
dE
(2 )
(2 )
i =1

i =1
i =1

n
n
1
d

3
=

d
p
P
p

i
i
(2 )3n dE
i =1

i =1

Energy conservation gives Ei E = 0 so dE Ei E = 1

i =1
i =1

n
n
1
d

3
(E ) =
d
p
dE
P

p
E

i
i
i
3n

(2 ) dE i =1
i =1

i =1

1
=
(2 )3n

Only problem this is

not Lorentz invariant

n
d

d
p

E
as
f ( E )dE = f ( E )

i
i
i

i =1
i =1

i =1
dE
n

C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Ensuring Lorentz invariance

2
2
Fermis golden rule: W =
mif (E )

If (E) is not Lorentz invariant then neither is |mif|2

Consider a single massive particle moving with energy E
in a volume V which is described by a wavefunction
normalised to | |2dV=1
This normalisation implies that the particle density is 1/V
for a stationary observer
However, if the particle speed is relativistic then there
will be a contraction by a factor 1/ in the direction of
motion so the particle density appears to be /V
Renormalising the wavefunctions to ensures the
particle density becomes invariant

C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Ensuring Lorentz invariance

For the transition rate we can redefine the matrix element to be:
M if

= mif

2m c 2m c
2

j =1

i =1

i i

= mif

2E 2E
j =1

i =1

where j represents particles in the initial state so the transition rate to a single final state becomes
2

n d 3 pi n
2 M if
1
n

dW =

E
p
P
i
i

3n
n
2
E
i =1

2 E j ( 2 ) i =1 i i=1
j =1

Integrate over all final states to get:

2

n d 3 pi n
2 M if
1
n
2 M if
pi P Ei E =
W =
Rn ( E )
3n
n
n
2
E

i =1

2E j ( 2 ) i=1 i i=1
2E j
j =1

j =1

Lorentz invariant phase space

1
Rn (E ) =
(2 )3n

d 3 pi n
n

p i P Ei E

i =1 2 Ei
i =1
i =1

C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

Showing that it is invariant

To show that this Lorentz invariant consider the Lorentz transformations
for boost is in z direction:
px = px

py = p y

pz = ( pz E ) E = ( E pz )

dpz
dE
pz

= 1
= 1

dpz
dp
E

z
1
2

dE
d
2
2
2
2
as
=
pi + m = pz pi + m
dpz dpz i = xyz

i = xyz

dpz
pz ( E pz ) E

= 1
=
=
dpz
E
E
E

12

pz
=
E

dpz dpz d 3 p d 3 p

=
E
E
E
E
C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

2 body phase space

1
R2 (E ) =
(2 )6

d 3 pi 2
2

p i P Ei E

i =1 2 Ei
i =1
i =1

1
=
(2 )6

d 3 p1 d 3 p2
2 E1 2 E2 (p1 + p 2 P ) (E1 + E2 E )

1
=
(2 )6

d 3 p1 d 3 p2
2 E1 2 E2 (p1 + p 2 ) (E1 + E2 E ) in centre of mass frame

d 3 p1
1
=
(E1 + E2 E ) integrate over p 2
6
(2 ) 4 E1E2
1
4p12 dp1
=
(E1 + E2 E )
6
(2 ) 4 E1E2

p1dE1
2
2
2
(
)
E
E
E
p
dp
E
dE
E
p
m
=

as
=
from

=
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
(2 )6 E2
C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

2 body phase space

To do the integral we need to write E2 in terms of E1 , m1 and m2 . In the centre of mass frame

p = p E m = E m E2 = E m + m
2
1

2
2

2
1

R2 (E ) =
(2 )6

2
1

2
2

2
2

2
1

2
1

2
2

1
2

p1dE1
2
2
2 2
E1 + E1 m1 + m2 E =
E2
(2 )6

To integrate over E1 we use the relation dE1 ( g ( E1 ) ) =

with g ( E1 ) = E1 + E m + m
2
1

2
1

dg
= 1 + E1 E12 m12 + m22
dE1

2
2

12

1
2

From E = E1 + E2 = p + m
p1 =

{[E

][

2
1

E + E1 E
= 2
=

E2
E2

) + (p
1
2

2
2

+m

(m2 m1 ) E (m2 + m1 )
2E
2

E
dg
dE1

Two - body Lorentz invariant phase space is R2 (E ) =

2
1

dg
dE1

p1dE1
( g (E1 ))
E2

]}

2
2

) = (p
1
2

2
1

g ( E1 )=0

E2
E

p1
(2 )6 E

+m

2
1

) + (p
1
2

2
1

+m

2
2

1
2

as p12 = p22

1
2

C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

10

Finding n-body phase space

recursively
We can rewrite n - body phase space in the centre of mass frame
1
Rn (E ) =
(2 )3n

d 3 pi n n

p
E

as

i
i

i =1 2 Ei
i =1 i =1

1
d 3 pn n 1 d 3 pi n
n

p
p
Rn (E ) =

E
(
)
(
)

i
n
i
n
3n

(2 ) 2 En i =1 2 Ei i =1
i =1

The second integral is the phase space integral for n - 1 particles with total
momentum -p n and total energy (E-En )
Lorentz invariance allows this to be rewritten in terms of a system of zero
total momentum and energy 2 = ( E En ) 2 pn2
As an example we can go to 3 - body phase space from 2 - body
d 3 p3 p1 ( (E3 ))

2
2
2
R3 (E ) =
where

=
(
E

E
)

p
3
3

(2 )9 2 E3
C4 Lecture 4 - Jim Libby

11