Solitons : An Introduction

Amit Goyal

Department of Physics
Panjab University
Chandigarh
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Contents

Introduction

History

Applications

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Waves
We are all familiar with different kinds of waves even in our day to day
life.

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Waves
We are all familiar with different kinds of waves even in our day to day
life.

What is a wave?

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Waves
We are all familiar with different kinds of waves even in our day to day
life.

What is a wave?

Result of some physical event that sends disturbances through a

medium.

Solitons : An Introduction – p. 3/2

Waves
We are all familiar with different kinds of waves even in our day to day
life.

What is a wave?

Result of some physical event that sends disturbances through a

medium.

Solitons : An Introduction – p. 3/2

Wave Equation

The simplest form of 1-dimensional wave equation is

∂2u 2 ∂ 2u
2
− c 2
= 0.
∂t ∂x
The general form of solution

u(x, t) = f (x − ct) + g(x + ct).

ut + cux = 0.
u(x, t) = Aei(kx−ωt) .

Dispersion relation ω = ck
ω
Phase velocity vp = k =c

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Dispersive Wave Equation

Simplest form of dispersive wave is

ut + ux + uxxx = 0.

Assume u(x, t) = Aei(kx−ωt) .

ω = k − k3.

ω 2
Phase velocity vp = k
= 1 − k
dω 2
Group velocity vg = dk
= 1 − 3k

Hence, vp > vg
It means waves collide themselves and disperse.

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Dissipative Wave Equation

ut + ux − uxx = 0.

u(x, t) = Aei(kx−ωt) .
ω = k − ik 2 .

Hence, dispersion relation is imaginary.

i(kx−kt−ik2 t)
u(x, t) = Ae
−k2 t k(x−t)
= Ae e

It means dissipation of amplitude with time.

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Nonlinear Wave Equation

Consider a simplest type of nonlinearity ’uux ’ to get

ut + ux + uux = 0.

Compare it with ut + cux = 0.

c=1+u

u(x, t) = f (x − (1 + u)t)

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contd....
Sometimes, we might obtain an equation which is both nonlinear
and contains dispersive or dissipative terms (or both).
ut + (1 + u)ux + uxxx = 0.
ut + (1 + u)ux − uxx = 0.

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contd....
Sometimes, we might obtain an equation which is both nonlinear
and contains dispersive or dissipative terms (or both).
ut + (1 + u)ux + uxxx = 0.
ut + (1 + u)ux − uxx = 0.

Surprisingly, these two effects can actually neutralize each other

to produce stable and localized solutions.

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Solitary Waves

A solitary wave is a non-singular and localized wave which prop-

agates without change of its properties (shape, velocity etc.).

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Solitary Waves

A solitary wave is a non-singular and localized wave which prop-

agates without change of its properties (shape, velocity etc.).

Simple form of solitary wave type solutions are

u(x, t) = sech(x − ct).

Figure 2: Plot of a solitary wave solution

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History
John Scott Russell (1808-1882)-Scotish Naval Architect

Working on the shapes of ships

Edinburgh-Glasgow canal in
1834
"Great Wave of Translation"

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Great Wave of Translation

Russell’s original description (1844) is still worth repeating:

"I was observing the motion of a boat which was rapidly drawn along a
narrow channel by a pair of horses, when the boat suddenly stopped - not so
the mass of water in the channel which it had put in motion; it accumulated
round the prow of the vessel in a state of violent agitation, then suddenly
leaving it behind,rolled forward with great velocity, assuming the form of a
large solitary elevation, a rounded, smooth and well-defined heap of water,
which continued its course along the channel apparently without change of
form or diminution of speed..."

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Great Wave of Translation

"...I followed it on horseback, and overtook it still rolling on at a rate of

some eight or nine miles an hour, preserving its original figure some thirty
feet long and a foot to a foot and a half in height. Its height gradually
diminished, and after a chase of one or two miles I lost it in the windings
of the channel. Such, in the month of August 1834, was my first chance
interview with that singular and beautiful phenomenon which I have called
the Wave of Translation."

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Great Wave of Translation
Scott Russell also performed some laboratory experiments generating
solitary waves.

c2 = g(h + a)

Taller wave travel faster!

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Recreation of the Wave of Translation (1995) in Glas-
gow

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History contd...
This phenomenon attracted attention of scientists.

Two Dutch physicists, Korteweg and de Vries in 1898, presented their

famous equation (known as KdV equation) for the evolution of long
waves in a shallow one-dimensional water channel.

In 1965, Zabusky and Kruskal solved the KdV equation numerically

as a model for nonlinear lattice and found that solitary wave solutions
interacted elastically with each other.

Due to this particle-like property, they termed these solutions as

solitons.

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Soliton
A soliton is a self-reinforcing solitary wave solution of a NLEE which

represents a wave of permanent form.

is localized, so that it decays or approaches a constant value at infinity.

is stable against mutual collisions with other solitons and retains its
identity.

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Examples of Nonlinear Equations
KdV equation
ut + αuux + uxxx = 0. (1)

Nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE)

iut + αuxx + β|u|2 u = 0. (2)

Sine-Gordon (SG) equation

utt − uxx + α sin u = 0. (3)

Nonlinear reaction-diffusion-convection (NRDC) equation

ut + vum ux = Duxx + αu − βun . (4)

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Applications
Soliton pulses can be used as the digital information carrying
‘bits’ in optical fibers.

Solitary waves are very useful to study the fluid dynamical prob-
lems and in plasma studies.

In Josephson junction, solitons are used to study the propagation

of magnetic flux through the junction.

Solitary waves arises in the study of nonlinear dynamics of

DNA.

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Nonlinear Equations for Real Systems

The evolution equation for the propagation of weakly nonlinear

waves in water of variable depth and width.

In real optical fiber, the transmission of soliton is described by

NLSE with the variable coefficients.

To describe waves in an energetically open system with an exter-

nal field acting on it which varies monotonically with time.

In inhomogeneous media, the variable coefficient NRDC

equations are studied due to variations of both convective and
nonlinear effects.

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Acknowledgement
I would like to thank Dr. C.N. Kumar and Ms. Rama Gupta for all of
their support and provided helpful suggestion.

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