How does functional derivative transform under coordinate transformation

derivativesfunctional-analysis

The definition of functional derivative I will be using will be that described in "Using delta function as a test function" section of the following Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_derivative#Using_the_delta_function_as_a_test_function

Instead of $\frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x)}$, I would like to compute $\frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x')}$, where x and x' are related by, say, x=ix'.

What is the relationship between $\frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x)}$ and $\frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x')}$?

Best Answer

Wikipedia defines the functional derivative through the formula (see this section) $$\left.\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}\epsilon} F[\rho + \epsilon \phi]\right|_{\epsilon=0} =: \int \frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x)} \phi(x) \mathrm{d}x.$$

Suppose now we want to perform a change of coordinates $x \to y$. Then we have $$\left.\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}\epsilon} F[\rho + \epsilon \phi]\right|_{\epsilon=0} =: \int \frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x(y))} \phi(x(y)) \left|\frac{\mathrm{d}x}{\mathrm{d}y}\right| \mathrm{d}y,$$ and we see a Jacobian factor has appeared. Of course, $\phi(x(y)) = \phi(x)$, and hence we must conclude that $$\frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(y)} = \left|\frac{\mathrm{d}x}{\mathrm{d}y}\right| \frac{\delta F}{\delta \rho(x)}.$$

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