Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac Equation in 5D Stuekelberg Electrodynamics

Abstract: We derive the Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac (ALD) equation in the framework of the electrodynamic theory associated with Stueckelberg manifestly covariant canonical mechanics. In this framework, a particle worldline is traced out through the evolution of an event $x^\mu(\tau)$. By admitting unconstrained commutation relations between the positions and velocities, the associated electromagnetic gauge fields are in general dependent on the parameter $\tau$, which plays the role of time in Newtonian mechanics. Standard Maxwell theory emerges from this system as a $\tau$-independent equilibrium limit. In this paper, we calculate the $\tau$-dependent field induced by an arbitrarily evolving event, and study the long-range radiation part, which is seen to be an on-shell plane wave of the Maxwell type. Following Dirac's method, we obtain an expression for the finite part of the self-interaction, which leads to the ALD equation that generalizes the Lorentz force. This third-order differential equation is then converted to an integro-differential equation, identical to the standard Maxwell expression, except for the $\tau$-dependence of the field. By studying this $\tau$-dependence in detail, we show that field can be removed from the integration, so that the Lorentz force depends only on the instantaneous external field and an integral over dynamical variables of the event evolution. In this form, pre-acceleration of the event by future values of the field is not present.