In this article we use an electromagnetic Lagrangian constructed so as to include dispersive effects in the description of an electromagnetic wave propagating in the quantum electrodynamic vacuum. This Lagrangian is Lorentz invariant, includes contributions up to six powers in the electromagnetic fields, and involves both fields and their first derivatives. Conceptual limitations inherent to the use of this higher derivative Lagrangian approach are discussed. We consider the one-dimensional spatial limit and obtain an exact solution of the nonlinear wave equation recovering the Korteveg-de Vries type periodic waves and solitons given in S. V. Bulanov et al. [Phys. Rev. D 101, 016016 (2020)].

• Received 13 March 2021
• Accepted 8 April 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.103.096012

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Published by the American Physical Society