Higher-order geometrical optics for electromagnetic waves on a curved spacetime

Abstract: We study the geometrical-optics expansion for circularly-polarized electromagnetic waves propagating on a curved spacetime in general relativity. We show that higher-order corrections to the Faraday and stress-energy tensors may be found via a system of transport equations, in principle. At sub-leading order, the stress-energy tensor possesses terms proportional to the wavelength whose sign depends on the handedness of the circular polarization. Due to such terms, the direction of energy flow is not aligned with the gradient of the eikonal phase, in general, and the wave may carry a transverse stress.