Lagrangian dynamics of spinning particles and polarized media in general relativity

Abstract

The general form of the Lagrangian equations of motion is derived for a spinning particle having arbitrary multipole structure in arbitrary external fields. It is then shown how these equations, together with the complete system of field equations can be recovered from a fourdimensional action integral representing a polarized dustlike medium interacting with an arbitrary set of fields. These general results are then specialized to the case of Einstein-Maxwell fields in order to obtain the general-relativistic extension of Lorentz's dielectric theory. © 1975 Springer-Verlag.