Toward a classification of dynamical symmetries in classical mechanics

Abstract

A one-parameter group on evolution space which permutes the classical trajectories of a Lagrangian system is called a dynamical symmetry. Following a review of the modern approach to the “symmetry-conservation law” duality an attempt is made to classify such invariance groups according to the induced transformation of the Cartan form. This attempt is fairly successful inasmuch as the important cases of Lie, Noether and Cartan symmetries can be distinguished. The theory is illustrated with a presentation of results for the classical Kepler problem. © 1983, Australian Mathematical Society. All rights reserved.