Conformal symmetry transformations and nonlinear Maxwell equations

Abstract

We make use of the conformal compactification of Minkowski spacetime $M^{\#}$ to explore a way of describing general, nonlinear Maxwell fields with conformal symmetry. We distinguish the inverse Minkowski spacetime $[M^{\#}]^{-1}$ obtained via conformal inversion, so as to discuss a doubled compactified spacetime on which Maxwell fields may be defined. Identifying $M^{\#}$ with the projective light cone in $(4+2)$-dimensional spacetime, we write two independent conformal-invariant functionals of the $6$-dimensional Maxwellian field strength tensors -- one bilinear, the other trilinear in the field strengths -- which are to enter general nonlinear constitutive equations. We also make some remarks regarding the dimensional reduction procedure as we consider its generalization from linear to general nonlinear theories.Comment: 12 pages, Based on a talk by the first author at the International Conference in Mathematics in honor of Prof. M. Norbert Hounkonnou (October 29-30, 2016, Cotonou, Benin). To be published in the Proceedings, Springer 201