Numerical solution of Maxwell equations by a finite-difference time-domain method in a medium with frequency and spatial dispersion.

We propose an alternative method of integration of Maxwell equations. This method is the generalization of a finite-difference time-domain method with an auxiliary differential equation for the case of a linear optical medium with a frequency dispersion and an arbitrary source of spatial dispersion. We apply this method to the problem of the propagation of short plane-wave linearly polarized light pulses in such a medium. It is shown that some features of their propagation are completely different from those that are generally recognized for the linear optical activity phenomenon. For example, in some cases an initially linearly polarized light pulse becomes elliptically polarized during the propagation. This effect is more prominent in the front part of the pulse.