and to a number of identical relations which are shown to imply that the differential equation
is invariant. This is the differential equation of the characteristics of the electromagnetic equations and gives the form of an elementary wave front. Since this is a sphere, we have called the group of transformation the group of spherical wave transformations. The differential equation also expresses the condition that two neighbouring particles should be in a position to act on one another. The transformations which leave the electrodynamical equations for ponderable bodies unaltered in form must depend upon the form of the constitutive relations connecting the magnetic induction and electric force with the magnetic force and electric displacement when the bodies are in motion. Minkowski, Einstein, and Laub have proceeded in the opposite way and constructed a set of constitutive relations for bodies in uniform motion, by assuming that the transformations are Lorentzian transformations and transforming the known constitutive relations for bodies at rest.
This method, however, does not give the constitutive relations for the case of a dielectric whose motion is not uniform. The general spherical wave transformation can be applied to obtain a certain type of accelerated motion, but the dimensions and shapes of bodies are continually altering in the transformed system.
An attempt has been made to discover whether there are any types of constitutive relations which are invariant for the general space time transformation. It is shown in § 7 that it is possible to construct such relations on the assumption that a certain quadratic form is invariant for the transformation. These relations may be supposed to correspond to a special type of configuration and state of motion which preserves its character after any space time transformation, which satisfies certain limitations. The general theory of space time transformations is discussed with the help of two theorems on the transformation of integral forms. It is shown that when a transformation of variables is performed, and the forms equivalent to two given integral forms are known, then the integral forms may be multiplied together by the rules of Grassmann's calculus of extension, and the resulting integral form is equal to the one obtained by multiplying the equivalent integral forms in the same way. Secondly, it is shown that when a quadratic form and its equivalent are known, a pair of equivalent integral forms may be obtained from a given pair by a process of analysis analogous to reciprocation, the new integral forms being of order n — m, where n denotes the number of variables and m the order of the original integral forms. These theorems are very
