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Self-focusing of wave packets and envelope shock formation in nonlinear dispersive media

Journal Article · · Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics
;  [1]
  1. Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics (Russian Federation)

The self-action of three-dimensional wave packets is analyzed analytically and numerically under the conditions of competing diffraction, cubic nonlinearity, and nonlinear dispersion (dependence of group velocity on wave amplitude). A qualitative analysis of pulse evolution is performed by the moment method to find a sufficient condition for self-focusing. Self-action effects in an electromagnetically induced transparency medium (without cubic nonlinearity) are analyzed numerically. It is shown that the self-focusing of a wave packet is accompanied by self-steepening of the longitudinal profile and envelope shock formation. The possibility of envelope shock formation is also demonstrated for self-focusing wave packets propagating in a normally dispersive medium.

OSTI ID:
21067679
Journal Information:
Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 103; ISSN JTPHES; ISSN 1063-7761
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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