The Instantaneous Formulations for Bethe Salpeter Equation and Radiative Transitions between Two Bound-States

Abstract

The instantaneous formulations for the relativistic Bethe-Salpeter (BS) and the radiative transitions between the bound-states are achieved if the BS kernel is instantaneous. It is shown that the original Salpeter instantaneous equation set up on the BS equation with an instantaneous kernel should be extended to involve the `small (negative energy) component' of the BS wave functions. As a precise example of the extension for the bound states with one kind of quantum number, the way to reduce the novel extended instantaneous equation is presented. How to guarantee the gauge invariance for the radiative transitions which is formulated in terms of BS wave functions, especially, which is formulated in the instantaneous formulation, is shown. It is also shown that to `guarantee' the gauge invariance for the radiative transitions in instantaneous formulation, the novel instantaneous equation for the bound states plays a very important role. Prospects on the applications and consequences of the obtained instantaneous formulations are outlined.