Varational Equations and Symmetries in the Lagrangian Formalism

Abstract

Symmetries in the Lagrangian formalism of arbitrary order are analysed with the help of the so-called Anderson-Duchamp-Krupka equations. For the case of second order equations and a scalar field we establish a polynomial structure in the second order derivatives. This structure can be used to make more precise the form of a general symmetry. As an illustration we analyse the case of Lagrangian equations with Poincar\'e invariance or with universal invariance.