On the Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi equations, and spin-orbit coupling: a tribute to Raymond Stora

Abstract

The Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi equations describing the motions of a spinning, charged, relativistic particle endowed with an anomalous magnetic moment in an electromagnetic field, are reconsidered. They are shown to duly stem from the linearization of the characteristic distribution of a pre-symplectic structure refining the original one of Souriau. In this model, once specialized to the case of a static electric-like field, the angular momentum and energy given by the associated moment map now correctly restore the spin-orbit coupling term. This is the state-of-the-art of unfinished joint work with Raymond Stora.