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Write $E(t)=\delta A/\delta x(t)$ for the functional derivative of the action. Under time reversal in classical mechanics, $\dot{x}$ changes sign whereas $E$ is even by assumption. Thus the forward and reversed Gaussian white noise histories associated with the same geometric path areThe Onsager--Machlup path probability therefore givesHere the path probabilities are densities conditional on their respective initial states; they are not separately normalized bridges conditioned on both endpoints. The noise-to-path Jacobian determinant must be treated with a consistent discretization: it cancels when it is invariant under time reversal in classical mechanics. This is the usual additive-noise Langevin dynamics convention, including a constant-mass Underdamped Langevin dynamics or the time-reversal invariance of a path Jacobian in midpoint Overdamped Langevin dynamics. A completely arbitrary velocity-dependent Lagrangian would require specifying that measure rather than deducing its cancellation solely from the parity of $E$.

Use the first-order actionVarying $q$ with fixed endpoints and varying $p$ freely givesThe principle of stationary action therefore yields Hamilton's equations

For $H=p^2+q^{-2}$ these become $\dot{q}=2p$ and $\dot{p}=2q^{-3}$. Along their Hamiltonian flow, $H=E$ is conserved andThus $F=pq-ctH$ is an integral of motion exactly when $c=2$.

Write its constant value as $F_0$. The surfaces $pq-2tE=F_0$ in extended $(q,p,t)$-space giveUsing $E{q}^2=p^2{q}^2+1$,The sign of $q$ is fixed. In phase space, each energy orbit is one of the two branchesEach branch approaches $p=-\sqrt{E}$ and $p=+\sqrt{E}$ as $|q|\to \infty$ and turns at $(p,q)=(0,\pm E^{-1/2})$.

For a scalar field with classical action $S[\varphi ]$, the Euclidean source convention used throughout this question givesThe generating functional produces correlation functions through functional derivatives. For example,More generally, each derivative brings down $-\varphi /\hslash$, so an $n$-point function carries $(-\hslash {)}^n/Z[0]$.

The classical action $S[\varphi ]$ supplies the vertices and quadratic quantum field theory propagator in the path integral. The connected generating functional isand its first derivative is the source-dependent mean fieldThe quantum effective action is the Legendre transformwhere $J$ is eliminated in favor of $\Phi$. At vanishing source, stationary points of $\Gamma$ are the quantum equations of motion. This $W[J]$ is the connected, or Schwinger, functional; a Wilsonian effective action instead integrates out modes above a momentum scale.

For a regular Lagrangian, define the canonical momentum $p_i=\partial L/\partial {\dot{q}}_i$ and invert this relation for $\dot{q}(q,p,t)$. Its Legendre transform is the HamiltonianSince $Ldt=p\cdot dq-Hdt$, the action isFor independent variations with $\delta q(t_1)=\delta q(t_2)=0$,Stationarity for arbitrary $\delta p$ and $\delta q$ gives Hamilton's equations $\dot{q}={\partial }_{p}H$ and $\dot{p}=-{\partial }_{q}H$.

Take a variation $x+\epsilon \xi$ with $\xi (a)=\xi (b)=0$. Expanding the action givesAn integration by parts and the fixed endpoint conditions give the first variationThe fundamental lemma of the calculus of variations therefore yields the Euler-Lagrange equationand the second variation is

Linearizing the equation of motion about $x$ givesso the Jacobi equation isWhen $u$ has no zero on $[a,b]$,The total derivative integrates to zero because $\xi (a)=\xi (b)=0$, hence

For the simple harmonic oscillator, the Jacobi equation is $\ddot{u}+{\omega }^{2}u=0$. Put $t_0=(a+b)/2$ and chooseIf $b-a<\pi /\omega$, then $|\omega (t-t_0)|<\pi /2$ throughout $[a,b]$, so $u$ is positive there. The preceding square identity proves that the classical path is a local minimum of the action whenever the elapsed time is less than half an oscillation period.

A continuous symmetry is a family of transformations depending continuously on parameters for which the action is unchanged, possibly up to a spacetime boundary term. For an infinitesimal field variation $\delta \varphi =ϵ\Delta \varphi$, a Noether current $j^{\mu }$ obeyswhen the Euler-Lagrange field equation holds. Its Noether chargeis conserved provided the flux ${\int }_{S_{\infty }}{j}^i{n}_{i}dS$ vanishes.

Noether theorem gives the implication from a differentiable global variational symmetry to an on-shell conserved current. A conserved current gives a conserved charge only under suitable boundary and convergence conditions. Conversely, a conserved charge generates a continuous symmetry through Poisson brackets classically or a commutator quantum mechanically when a regular Hamiltonian formulation exists. Currents can be changed by identically conserved improvement terms, and inverse Noether statements require regularity and the exclusion of such trivial currents, so the three notions are related but not literally in one-to-one correspondence.

For spacetime translations, the canonical stress-energy tensor isForraising the second index gives the symmetric tensorTranslation invariance gives four conserved currents $T^{\mu \nu }$, one for each fixed $\nu$, and the four conserved charges are the four-momentum$P^0$ is the energy and $\mathbf{P}$ is the spatial momentum.

The Lorentz transformation variation of a scalar is generated solely by its argument. The corresponding Lorentz current isUsing ${\partial }_{\mu }{T}^{\mu \nu }=0$ and symmetry of $T^{\rho \sigma }$,In particular, conservation of the boost chargeimpliesThe quantity denoted $V^i$ in the question is therefore the conserved momentum component $P^i$, assuming the same vanishing boundary flux.

For the quadratic geodesic Lagrangianthe Euler-Lagrange equation isRaising $\mu$ and symmetrizing the coefficient of the two velocities produces exactlyThe quadratic action fixes an affine parameter; proper time is an affine parameter for a timelike geodesic.

A phase-space action treats canonical variables as independent fields. Varying them gives Hamilton's equations; Lagrange multipliers can impose constraints.

The principle of stationary action says that the physical path between fixed endpoints is a stationary point of the action.

For a free massive Proca field in the mostly-plus Minkowski metric, the covariant inverse of the quadratic action and the canonical time-ordered product of vector potentials differ locally. With Fourier transform $e^{iq\cdot (x-y)}$, the covariant Proca propagator is $-i({\eta }_{ab}+q_a{q}_b/m^2)/(q^2+m^2-i0)$, while the literal canonical two-point correlation function subtracts $i{\delta }_a^0{\delta }_b^0/m^2$ in momentum space. The time component is nondynamical; its physical-mode numerator is $|\mathbf{q}{|}^2/m^2$, rather than $-1+(q^0{)}^2/m^2$. The difference is an instantaneous Dirac delta function, not another propagating state. Both expressions agree away from coincidence. This distinction matters when identifying a covariant Green function with a canonical correlator in a constrained field theory.

A scalar field theory describes one or more Lorentz scalar fields through an action. The displayed Lagrangian density is a common classical normalization for a real scalar field; a complex scalar field has two real components. Canonical quantization turns these classical degrees of freedom into operators. The free real scalar field gives spin-zero particles, while interactions arise from the potential $V$.

A relativistic real scalar field theory with a periodic cosine potential. In physical coordinates $y^{\mu }$, one normalization is $\mathcal{L}=\frac{1}{2}{\partial }_{\mu }\phi {\partial }^{\mu }\phi -m^2(1-\cos \beta \phi )/{\beta }^2$. With $\varphi =\beta \phi$ and $x^{\mu }=m{y}^{\mu }$, its action is $S={\beta }^{-2}\int d^{2}x[\frac{1}{2}(\partial \varphi {)}^2+\cos \varphi -1]$. Its Euler-Lagrange field equation is the Sine-Gordon equation. Distinct scalar-field vacua differ by $2\pi$ in $\varphi$, permitting a Sine-Gordon kink.

A differentiable infinitesimal transformation is a variational symmetry when its change of the Lagrangian density is a divergence, $\delta \mathcal{L}=\epsilon {\partial }_{\mu }{K}^{\mu }$. Under suitable boundary conditions the action is invariant, so exact pointwise invariance is unnecessary. The off-shell variation identity gives the Noether current for a first-derivative scalar field. This definition is for a constant transformation parameter; a spacetime-dependent parameter is a different, gauge-symmetry problem.

An einbein specifies a one-dimensional metric tensor along a worldline. In the relativistic particle phase-space action it is the Lagrange multiplier for the mass-shell condition and transforms as $\delta e=\dot{ϵ}$ under the corresponding canonical gauge transformation. After eliminating the momentum, its geometric interpretation depends on the normalization of the particle action.