Open AccessOstrogradsky's theorem on Hamiltonian instability
Author(s) -
R. P. Woodard
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
scholarpedia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1941-6016
DOI - 10.4249/scholarpedia.32243
Subject(s) - instability , mathematics , hamiltonian (control theory) , hamiltonian system , mathematical physics , physics , classical mechanics , pure mathematics , quantum mechanics , mathematical optimization
Ostrogradsky's construction of a Hamiltonian formalism for nondegenerate higher derivative Lagrangians is reviewed. The resulting instability imposes by far the most powerful restriction on fundamental, interacting, continuum Lagrangian field theories. A discussion is given of the problems raised by attempts to evade this restriction.
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