Light propagating in a Born-Infeld background as seen by an accelerated observer

TL;DR

This paper investigates how light propagates in a Born-Infeld electromagnetic background from the perspective of an accelerated observer, revealing effects like velocity changes and redshift due to the combined influence of the BI field and acceleration.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of light trajectories and phase velocities in a Born-Infeld background as seen by an accelerated observer, extending understanding of electromagnetic propagation in non-linear fields.

Findings

Electric/magnetic BI background slows light velocity

Acceleration can cause light to exceed vacuum speed

Redshift calculations for Rindler observers in BI fields

Abstract

We study the propagation of light in the Born-Infeld (BI) background as seen by an accelerated observer. In a Born-Infeld electromagnetic field, light trajectories are governed by the null geodesics of the effective optical metric. The accelerated observer is in a Rindler frame, a situation that, according to the Einstein Equivalence Principle, is equivalent to being in a uniform gravitational field. The phase velocity of light propagating through a purely magnetic or electric BI background is determined as measured by the Rindler observer. The BI field and the acceleration of the frame have opposite effects on the propagating light: while the intense electric or magnetic BI background slows down the velocity of light, in the accelerated frame light may exceed its velocity in vacuum. We consider light propagating parallel or transversal to the acceleration direction of the Rindler frame. The redshift of light pulses sent from one Rindler observer to another, in the BI background, is calculated as well.