On possible light–torsion mixing in background magnetic field

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.