pith. sign in
theorem

phase_invariance_implies_conservation

proved
show as:
module
IndisputableMonolith.QFT.NoetherTheorem
domain
QFT
line
171 · github
papers citing
none yet

plain-language theorem explainer

Phase invariance of a real-valued function on complex space implies it remains constant along the U(1) phase rotation flow. Quantum field theorists cite this when deriving electric charge conservation from U(1) symmetry inside the Recognition Science cost framework. The argument is a direct one-line application of the general noether_core lemma to the PhaseRotation group.

Claim. If a function $Q : ℂ → ℝ$ satisfies $Q(e^{iθ} z) = Q(z)$ for every real $θ$ and every $z ∈ ℂ$, then $Q$ is conserved along the phase rotation flow, meaning $Q(e^{iθ} z)$ is independent of $θ$.

background

The module derives Noether's theorem from cost stationarity: a transformation T is a symmetry of J when J(Tx) = Jx for all x, and Q is conserved along flow φ when Q(φ(t,x)) does not depend on t. PhaseRotation is the one-parameter group on ℂ whose flow multiplies by $e^{iθ}$. The upstream noether_core theorem states that invariance under any one-parameter group implies conservation along its flow.

proof idea

The proof is a one-line wrapper that applies the noether_core theorem to the hypothesis that Q is invariant under PhaseRotation.flow θ for every θ.

why it matters

This specializes the general noether_core result to U(1) phase symmetry, yielding the electric charge conservation entry in the module's symmetry table. It supports the module's target of deriving Noether's theorem from ledger balance under cost stationarity and connects to the Recognition Science framework's treatment of continuous symmetries.

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