  We calculate the electromagnetic absorption cross section of long and narrow
nanowires, in the so-called quasi-1D limit. We consider only two transverse
bands and compute the dipole absorption cross section taking into account
quasiparticle transitions from negative to positive energy eigenstates of the
Bogoliubov-de Gennes Hamiltonian. The presence of the zero energy (Majorana)
state manifests in the different absorption spectra for $x$ (parallel) and $y$
(transverse) polarizations of the electromagnetic field.
  In the $y$-polarized case, the Majorana state causes a low energy absorption
plateau extending from mid-gap up to full-gap energy. Increasing further the
energy, the plateau is followed by a region of enhanced absorption due to
transitions across the full gap. For $x$ polarization the low energy absorption
plateau is not observed.
