Geometrical aspects of light propagation in nonlinear electrodynamics

Abstract

We analyze the propagation of light in the context of nonlinear electrodynamics, as it occurs in modified QED vacua. We show that the corresponding characteristic equation can be described in terms of a modification of the effective geometry of the underlying spacetime structure. We present the general form for this effective geometry and exhibit some new consequences that result from such approach.

Testing nonlinear vacuum electrodynamics with Michelson interferometry

“…This is methodically different from the work of Obukhov and Rubilar [21] and Novello et al [22] but it leads to the same result. The general method goes back to Luneburg and is outlined, e.g., for electrodynamics in ordinary media, in the book by Kline and Kay [26].…”

“…Using this approach, Obukhov and Rubilar [21] have determined the Fresnel equation (i.e., the characteristic equation) for an arbitrary L(F, G) theory. Earlier, Novello et al [22] had found an equivalent result in a different way. Their results show that, with the exception of a few special cases, theories of the Plebański class predict birefringence in vacuo.…”

Hadrosynthesis and Quark Confinement

“…Such a geometrization of force effects has also been employed in non-linear electrodynamics, where it can lead to similar spatial constraints [14]. A corresponding extension to QCD is discussed in [1]; we shall here concentrate on the more phenomenological aspects.…”

Analogue gravity from electrodynamics in nonlinear media

“…The comparative study between the kinematic aspects of general relativity and other kinds of interactions has recently been called as analog models for gravitation [1]. Indeed, it have extensively been examined, not only with respect to electrodynamics (nonlinear [2][3][4][5][6][7] as well as in moving dielectric fluids [8][9][10][11][12]) but also for acoustic perturbations [13][14][15]. Long ago, Gordon [16] shown that the refractive index of a medium can be reinterpreted by means of an effective metric g µν Gordon = η µν − (1 − ǫµ)V µ V ν , where V µ represents the velocity 4-vector of an arbitrary observer.…”

“…Long ago, Gordon [16] shown that the refractive index of a medium can be reinterpreted by means of an effective metric g µν Gordon = η µν − (1 − ǫµ)V µ V ν , where V µ represents the velocity 4-vector of an arbitrary observer. The paths of light rays in non-linear electrodynamics can be obtained in terms of the geodesic equations of an effective geometry representing the non-linearities [4,5]. These works assumed electrodynamics as governed by a quite general non-linear Lagrangian which is a function of the two invariants of the Maxwell field.…”