Exact Description of Rotational Waves in an Elastic Solid

Abstract

Conventional descriptions of transverse waves in an elastic solid are limited by an assumption of infinitesimally small gradients of rotation. By assuming a linear response to variations in orientation, we derive an exact description of a restricted class of rotational waves in an ideal isotropic elastic solid. The result is a nonlinear equation expressed in terms of Dirac bispinors. This result provides a simple classical interpretation of relativistic quantum mechanical dynamics. We construct a Lagrangian of the form L=E+U+K=0, where E is the total energy, U is the potential energy, and K is the kinetic energy. © 2010 The Author(s).