Spinoptics in a curved spacetime

TL;DR

This paper extends geometric optics to include spin effects in electromagnetic wave propagation in curved spacetime, introducing a covariant, effective action-based approach that simplifies derivation of spin-dependent corrections.

Contribution

It proposes a novel, covariant, and transparent method using effective action to derive spinoptics equations applicable to any spacetime background.

Findings

Derivation of spinoptics equations using effective action

Application of spinoptics to solve initial value problems

Simplification over previous methods

Abstract

In this paper we study propagation of the high frequency electromagnetic waves in a curved spacetime. We discuss a so call spinoptics approach which generalizes a well known geometric optics approximation and allows one to take into account spin-dependent corrections. A new element proposed in this work is the use of effective action which allows one to derive spinoptics equations. This method is simpler and more transparent than the earlier proposed methods. It is explicitly covariant and can be applied to an arbitrary spacetime background. We also demonstrate how the initial value problem for the high frequency electromagnetiv wave can be soled in the developed spinoptics approximation.