Kronecker delta expressed as a derivative when there are multiple indices.

calculusindex-notationkronecker-deltapartial derivativetensors

For instance, when differentiating four-vectors the result is straightforward:
$$\frac{\partial x^\mu}{\partial x^\nu}=\delta_\nu^\mu$$
as the derivative is only non-zero when the Lorentz indices match. Here $\mu, \nu = 0,1,2,3$.

But when differentiating type $(0,2)$ tensors, for example,
$$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}=\delta_c^\mu\delta_d^\nu\tag{1}$$

I note that the order of the indices in $(1)$ (going from left to right) is preserved; $\mu$ is 'paired' with $\mathrm{c}$, and $\nu$ is paired with $\mathrm{d}$.

My question is very simple, am I allowed to commute the two contravariant or covariant derivatives in $(1)$?

Put simply, is it true that $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}=\delta_c^\mu\delta_d^\nu=\delta_c^\color{red}{\nu}\delta_d^\color{red}{\mu}=\delta_\color{blue}{d}^\mu\delta_\color{blue}{c}^\nu?$$

My reason for asking is that since the condition for $(1)$ to be non-zero is that all the Lorentz indices must be equal, then what is to stop me from interchanging two of the contravariant (or covariant) indices?


Update:

After writing this post another question came to mind, namely, why do we need a product of Kronecker deltas and why not write
$$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}=\delta_{cd}^{\mu\nu}$$ instead of eqn. $(1)$? I had this idea after looking at this Wikipedia page on the generalized Kronecker delta.

Best Answer

Suppose for a contradiction that $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}=\delta_c^\color{red}{\nu}\delta_d^\color{red}{\mu}.$$ Take $c=\mu=0$ and $d=\nu=2$ in such equation. Then we have $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_0A_2\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_0 A_2\right)}=\delta_0^\color{red}{2}\delta_2^\color{red}{0}=0.$$ This is a contradiction, because $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_0A_2\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_0 A_2\right)}=1.$$ Therefore, $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}\neq\delta_c^\color{red}{\nu}\delta_d^\color{red}{\mu}.$$ Now, suppose for a contradiction that $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}=\delta_\color{blue}{d}^\mu\delta_\color{blue}{c}^\nu.$$ Take $c=\mu=0$ and $d=\nu=2$ in such equation. Then we have $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_0A_2\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_0 A_2\right)}=\delta_2^\color{blue}{0}\delta_0^\color{blue}{2}=0.$$ This is also a contradiction, because $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_0A_2\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_0 A_2\right)}=1.$$ Therefore, $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}\neq\delta_\color{blue}{d}^\mu\delta_\color{blue}{c}^\nu.$$ It is worth point out that $\delta_c^\color{red}{\nu}\delta_d^\color{red}{\mu}=\delta_\color{blue}{d}^\mu\delta_\color{blue}{c}^\nu$. However, $\delta_{c}^\mu\delta_{d}^\nu\neq\delta_c^\color{red}{\nu}\delta_d^\color{red}{\mu}$.

In conclusion, we must have $$\frac{\partial\left(\partial_cA_d\right)}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu A_\nu\right)}=\delta_c^\mu\delta_d^\nu.$$