Universal local symmetries in classical mechanics and physical degrees of freedom

TL;DR

This paper explores the role of local symmetries in classical mechanics, generalizing previous results, analyzing gauge fixing, and proposing criteria for physical degrees of freedom within a path-integral framework.

Contribution

It extends the understanding of local symmetries in classical mechanics, examines gauge fixing effects, and suggests criteria for identifying physical degrees of freedom.

Findings

Generalized local symmetries in classical mechanics

Analyzed the impact of gauge fixing on these symmetries

Proposed criteria for physical degrees of freedom

Abstract

In a recent paper we have analyzed the role that a universal set of local symmetries plays in suppressing the superposition principle in classical mechanics via a path-integral formulation of classical mechanics itself. In this paper first we generalize those symmetries, second we study the role which the gauge fixing plays and third we put forward the idea of which ones should be the physical degrees of freedom of the theory.