We discuss the problem of the extent to which the equations of motion for a Yang-Mills particle, in the presence of an external non-Abelian gauge field, can be derived from the field equations. Following an argument due to Dresden and Chen we prove that the equations of motion of a Yang-Mills particle with spin follow from the field equation and the conservation of the energy-momentum tensor. Conservation of angular momentum is explicitly discussed and the pole-dipole character of the Yang-Mills particle, in the sense of Papapetrou, is elucidated.

• Received 24 January 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.16.2581