Ray optics in the field of non-minimal Dirac monopole

TL;DR

This paper explores how curvature affects light propagation near a non-minimal Dirac monopole, revealing birefringence effects through analytical and numerical analysis of optical metrics.

Contribution

It introduces effective associated and optical metrics for non-minimal Dirac monopoles, demonstrating curvature-induced birefringence effects.

Findings

Curvature causes birefringence near the monopole

Optical metrics are derived analytically and numerically

Birefringence effects are significant in the monopole's vicinity

Abstract

Based on the analogy with non-minimal SU(2) symmetric Wu-Yang monopole with regular metric, the solution describing a non-minimal U(1) symmetric Dirac monopole is obtained. In order to take into account the curvature coupling of gravitational and electromagnetic fields, we reconstruct the effective metrics of two types: the so-called associated and optical metrics. The optical metrics display explicitly that the effect of birefringence induced by curvature takes place in the vicinity of the non-minimal Dirac monopole; these optical metrics are studied analytically and numerically.