On Possible Light-Torsion Mixing in Background Magnetic Field

TL;DR

This paper explores how light interacts with axial torsion fields in a magnetic field, potentially causing vacuum birefringence and dichroism, with implications for quantum gravity theories.

Contribution

It introduces a model for light-torsion mixing in magnetic fields, deriving expressions for polarization effects based on torsion field properties.

Findings

Derived formulas for ellipticity and polarization rotation.

Identified conditions for observable birefringence effects.

Analyzed the impact of torsion mass and coupling constants.

Abstract

The interaction of the light with propagating axial torsion fields in the presence of an external magnetic field has been investigated. Axial torsion fields appearing in higher derivative quantum gravity possess two states, with spin one and zero, with different masses. The torsion field with spin-0 state is a ghost that can be removed if its mass is infinite. We investigate the possibility when the light mixes with the torsion fields resulting in the effect of vacuum birefringence and dichroism. The expressions for ellipticity and the rotation of light polarization axis depending on the coupling constant and the external magnetic field have been obtained.