Abstract
This Letter presents an algorithm to obtain all local conservation laws for any system of field equations. The algorithm uses a formula which directly generates the conservation laws and does not depend on the system having a Lagrangian formulation, in contrast to Noether's theorem which requires a Lagrangian. Several examples are considered including dissipative systems inherently having no Lagrangian.
- Received 7 October 1996
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.2869
©1997 American Physical Society