We characterize the Lie derivative of spinor fields from a variational point of view by resorting to the theory of the Lie derivative of sections of gauge-natural bundles. Noether identities from the gauge-natural invariance of the first variational
derivative of the Einstein(--Cartan)--Dirac Lagrangian provide restrictions on the Lie derivative of fields.
Recently we found that canonical gauge-natural superpotentials are obtained as global sections of the {em reduced} $(n-2)$-degree and $(2s-1)$-order quotient sheaf on the fibered manifold $bY_{zet} times_{bX} mathfrak{K}$, where $mathfrak{K}$ is an a
ppropriate subbundle of the vector bundle of (prolongations of) infinitesimal right-invariant automorphisms $bar{Xi}$. In this paper, we provide an alternative proof of the fact that the naturality property $cL_{j_{s}bar{Xi}_{H}}omega (lambda, mathfrak{K})=0$ holds true for the {em new} Lagrangian $omega (lambda, mathfrak{K})$ obtained contracting the Euler--Lagrange form of the original Lagrangian with $bar{Xi}_{V}in mathfrak{K}$. We use as fundamental tools an invariant decomposition formula of vertical morphisms due to Kolav{r} and the theory of iterated Lie derivatives of sections of fibered bundles. As a consequence, we recover the existence of a canonical generalized energy--momentum conserved tensor density associated with $omega (lambda, mathfrak{K})$.
When a gauge-natural invariant variational principle is assigned, to determine {em canonical} covariant conservation laws, the vertical part of gauge-natural lifts of infinitesimal principal automorphisms -- defining infinitesimal variations of secti
ons of gauge-natural bundles -- must satisfy generalized Jacobi equations for the gauge-natural invariant Lagrangian. {em Vice versa} all vertical parts of gauge-natural lifts of infinitesimal principal automorphisms which are in the kernel of generalized Jacobi morphisms are generators of canonical covariant currents and superpotentials. In particular, only a few gauge-natural lifts can be considered as {em canonical} generators of covariant gauge-natural physical charges.
The Backlund problem is solved for both the compact and noncompa
