Solitons In Mathematics And Physics

The soliton is a dramatic concept in nonlinear science. What makes this book unique in the treatment of this subject is its focus on the properties that make the soliton physically ubiquitous and the soliton equation mathematically miraculous. Here, on the classical level, is the entity field theorists have been postulating for years: a local traveling wave pulse; a lump-like coherent structure; the solution of a field equation with remarkable stability and particle-like properties. It is a fundamental mode of propagation in gravity- driven surface and internal waves; in atmospheric waves; in ion acoustic and Langmuir waves in plasmas; in some laser waves in nonlinear media; and in many biologic contexts, such as alpha-helix proteins.

Solitons were discovered by John Scott Russel in 1834, and have interested scientists and mathematicians ever since. They have been the subject of a large body of research in a wide variety of fields of physics and mathematics, not to mention engineering and other branches of science such as biology. This volume comprises the written versions of the talks presented at a workshop held at Queen's University in 1997, an interdisciplinary meeting wherein top researchers from many fields could meet, interact, and exchange ideas. Topics covered include mathematical and numerical aspects of solitons, as well as applications of solitons to nuclear and particle physics, cosmology, and condensed-matter physics. The book should be of interest to researchers in any field in which solitons are encountered.

In the 25 years of its existence Soliton Theory has drastically expanded our understanding of “integrability” and contributed a lot to the reunification of Mathematics and Physics in the range from deep algebraic geometry and modern representation theory to quantum field theory and optical transmission lines.The book is a systematic introduction to the Soliton Theory with an emphasis on its background and algebraic aspects. It is the first one devoted to the general matrix soliton equations, which are of great importance for the foundations and the applications.Differential algebra (local conservation laws, Bäcklund-Darboux transforms), algebraic geometry (theta and Baker functions), and the inverse scattering method (Riemann-Hilbert problem) with well-grounded preliminaries are applied to various equations including principal chiral fields, Heisenberg magnets, Sin-Gordon, and Nonlinear Schrödinger equation.

This book provides an up-to-date overview of mathematical theories and research results on solitons, presenting related mathematical methods and applications as well as numerical experiments. Different types of soliton equations are covered along with their dynamical behaviors and applications from physics, making the book an essential reference for researchers and graduate students in applied mathematics and physics. Contents Introduction Inverse scattering transform Asymptotic behavior to initial value problems for some integrable evolution nonlinear equations Interaction of solitons and its asymptotic properties Hirota method Bäcklund transformations and the infinitely many conservation laws Multi-dimensional solitons and their stability Numerical computation methods for some nonlinear evolution equations The geometric theory of solitons Global existence and blow up for the nonlinear evolution equations The soliton movements of elementary particles in nonlinear quantum field The theory of soliton movement of superconductive features The soliton movements in condensed state systemsontents

In this engaging book, the concept of the soliton is traced from the beginning of the last century to modern times with its recent applications.

This IMA Volume in Mathematics and its Applications SOLITONS IN PHYSICS, MATHEMATICS, AND NONLINEAR OPTICS is based on the proceedings of two workshops which were an integral part of the 1988-89 IMA program on NONLINEAR WAVES. The workshops focussed on the main parts of the theory of solitons and on the applications of solitons in physics, biology and engineering, with a special concentration on nonlinear optics. We thank the Coordinating Committee: James Glimm, Daniel Joseph, Barbara Keyfitz, An Majda, Alan Newell, Peter Olver, David Sattinger and David Schaeffer for drew planning and implementing the stimulating year-long program. We especially thank the Workshop Organizers for Solitons in Physics and Mathematics, Alan Newell, Peter Olver, and David Sattinger, and for Nonlinear Optics and Plasma Physics, David Kaup and Yuji Kodama for their efforts in bringing together many of the major figures in those research fields in which solitons in physics, mathematics, and nonlinear optics theories are used. A vner Friedman Willard Miller, Jr. PREFACE This volume includes some of the lectures given at two workshops, "Solitons in Physics and Mathematics" and "Solitons in Nonlinear Optics and Plasma Physics" held during the 1988-89 LM. A. year on Nonlinear Waves. Since their discovery by Kruskal and Zabusky in the early 1960's, solitons have had a profound impact on many fields, ranging from engineering and physics to algebraic geometry.

A good deal of the material presented in this book has been prepared by top experts in the field lecturing in January 1987 at the Winter School on Solitons in Tiruchirapalli,India. The lectures begin at an elementary level but go on to include even the most recent developments in the field. The book makes a handy introduction to the various facets of the soliton concept, and will be useful both to newcomers to the field and to researchers who are interested in developments in new branches of physics and mathematics.

A 'soliton' is a localized nonlinear wave of permanent form which may interact strongly with other solitons so that when they separate after the interaction they regain their original forms. This textbook is an account of the theory of solitons and of the diverse applications of the theory to nonlinear systems arising in the physical sciences. The essence of the book is an introduction to the method of inverse scattering. Solitary waves, cnoidal waves, conservation laws, the initial-value problem for the Korteweg-de Vries equation, the Lax method, the sine-Gordon equation and Backlund transformations are treated. The book will be useful for research workers who wish to learn about solitons as well as graduate students in mathematics, physics and engineering.