On the polarization responses of the objects with a small optical anisotropy

The polarization-optical methods are effective means of studying of the most various objects and systems. Materials and elements with high optical and structural homogeneity, the ordered substances and materials, resonant and nonresonant ensembles of the point scatterers, and so on may be the subject of research and technological monitoring. Nevertheless, the prospects for further development and application of the methods are limited in some cases due to the lack of sufficiently complete picture of their capabilities. Some features of polarization responses of the objects with small optical anisotropy are considered in this work. It is shown that these responses possess properties of linearity and additivity, that are important for practice. Principle possibility of the description of magnetization in terms of orientational order is discussed. This work is supported by RFBR, grant № 15-02-08703.