Magnetooptical, electrooptical and photoelastic effects in an elastic polarizable and magnetizable isotropic continuum

The magnetooptical, electrooptical and photoelastic behaviour of an elastic polarizable and magnetizable isotropic continuum are investigated from a dynamical point of view, starting from balance equations and constitutive relations. The most original result of the theory is the fact that the continuum exhibits the Cotton-Mouton effect, together with linear birefringence of transverse sound waves. This is compared with experimental data and quantum theory results. As expected, the continuum does not exhibit Faraday rotation.