Minkowski tensor in electrodynamics of moving media and three rules for construction of the physical tensors in Einstein's special relativity

Abstract

Minkowski applied Einstein's principle of relativity to moving media and developed electrodynamics of moving media. Like Einstein introduced the EM field-strength tensor $F^{\mu\nu}$ for electric field $\mathbf{E}$ and magnetic induction $\mathbf{B}$, Minkowski introduced another EM field-strength tensor $G^{\mu\nu}$ for the electric displacement $\mathbf{D}$ and magnetic field $\mathbf{H}$; thus leading to Minkowski tensor. Recently, Partanen and Tulkki criticize that Minkowski tensor contradicts special relativity, and proposed a mass-polariton stress-energy-momentum (MP SEM) tensor to replace Minkowski tensor. In this paper, based on a careful analysis of previous literature on this topic, (i) I reasonably argue that Minkowski tensor is a covariant combination of two EM field-strength tensors, and thus all the physical results obtained from Minkowski tensor are already embodied in the two EM field-strength tensors; (ii) I propose three rules for covariantly and self-consistently constructing the physical tensors in Einstein's special relativity, with Minkowski tensor following all the rules while both Abraham tensor and the MP SEM tensor not. Finally, by enumerating a specific example I show that the Lorentz covariance of a tensor provides no guarantee of the consistency of the tensor with the principle of relativity.