Nonlinear electrodynamics with birefringence

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new three-parameter nonlinear electrodynamics model that predicts vacuum birefringence in magnetic fields, calculates refractive indices, and estimates a key coefficient from experimental data.

Contribution

It proposes a novel nonlinear electrodynamics model with specific parameters, analyzing birefringence phenomena and deriving related physical tensors and symmetry properties.

Findings

Vacuum birefringence occurs under external magnetic fields.

Refractive indices for different polarizations were calculated.

An experimental coefficient was estimated from the BMV experiment.

Abstract

A new model of nonlinear electrodynamics with three parameters is suggested. The phenomena of vacuum birefringence takes place when there is the external constant magnetic field. We calculate the indices of refraction for two polarizations of electromagnetic waves, parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic induction field. From the Bir\'{e}fringence Magn\'{e}tique du Vide (BMV) experiment one of the coefficients, $\gamma\approx 10^{-20}$ T$^{-2}$, was estimated. The canonical, symmetrical Belinfante energy-momentum tensors and dilatation current were obtained. The dilatation symmetry and the dual symmetry are broken in the model considered.