Translation

A spacetime translation operator $$\mathbf T$$ is given by

$$\mathbf T(2\tau) = \gamma \dot x\tau\,\mathbf e_{230} + \gamma \dot y\tau\,\mathbf e_{310} + \gamma \dot z\tau\,\mathbf e_{120} - \gamma c\tau\,\mathbf e_{321} + {\large\unicode{x1D7D9}}$$ .

It transforms a position $$\mathbf r$$ (or any other quantity) through the sandwich product

$$\mathbf r' = \mathbf T \mathbin{\unicode{x27C7}} \mathbf r \mathbin{\unicode{x27C7}} \smash{\mathbf{\underset{\Large\unicode{x7E}}{T}}}$$.

The bulk norm of a translation operator is given by

$$\left\Vert\mathbf T\right\Vert_\unicode["segoe ui symbol"]{x25CF} = \sqrt{c^2t^2 - x^2 - y^2 - z^2}$$ ,

and it must be real for any motion that's physically possible (i.e., without exceeding the speed of light).

See Also

• Velocity
• Relativistic screw