Spinning bodies in General Relativity

Abstract

A covariant hamiltonian formalism for the dynamics of compact spinning bodies in curved space-time in the test-particle limit is described. The construction allows a large class of hamiltonians accounting for specific properties and interactions of spinning bodies. The dynamics for a minimal and a specific non-minimal hamiltonian is discussed. An independent derivation of the equations of motion from an appropriate energy-momentum tensor is provided. It is shown how to derive constants of motion, both background-independent and background-dependent ones.