On the Whitham system for the (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation

Whitham modulation equations are derived for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in the plane ((2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger [2d NLS]) with small dispersion. The modulation equations are obtained in terms of both physical and Riemann-type variables; the latter yields equations of hydrodynamic type. The complete 2d NLS Whitham system consists of six dynamical equations in evolutionary form and two constraints. As an application, we determine the linear stability of one-dimensional traveling waves. In both the elliptic and hyperbolic cases, the traveling waves are found to be unstable. This result is consistent with previous investigations of stability by other methods and is supported by direct numerical calculations.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.     

Solvability of the Direct and Inverse Problems for the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation

In this paper we study rigorous spectral theory and solvability for both the direct and inverse problems of the Dirac operator associated with the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We review known results and techniques, as well as incorporating new ones, in a comprehensive, unified framework. We identify functional spaces in which both direct and inverse problems are well posed, have a unique solution and the corresponding direct and inverse maps are one to one.Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000) 34A55, 35Q55.     

On timing Jitter in wavelength-division multiplexed soliton systems

Collision-induced timing shifts in a wavelength-division multiplexed soliton system are computed when damping, amplification, filtering and positive dispersion management following the loss profile are included. A statistical analysis is presented which takes into account the resulting effect of the large number of collisions occurring in the fiber. Analytic expressions are derived for the root mean square timing jitter and the maximum length of error-free transmission with an arbitrary number of channels. An extensive analysis of system performance corresponding to situations with and without filters and/or dispersion management is carried out.     

On the Inverse Scattering of the Time-Dependent Schrödinger Equation and the Associated Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (I) Equation

The Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation, a two-spatial-dimensional analogue of the Korteweg-deVries equation, arises in physical situations in two different forms depending on a certain sign appearing in the evolution equation. Here we investigate one of the two cases. The initial-value problem, associated with initial data decaying sufficiently rapidly at infinity, is linearized by a suitable extension of the inverse scattering transform. Essential is the formulation of a nonlocal Riemann-Hilbert problem in terms of scattering data expressible in closed form in terms of given initial data. The lump solutions, algebraically decaying solitons, are given a definite spectral characterization. Pure lump solutions are obtained by solving a linear algebraic system whose coefficients depend linearly on x, y, t. Many of the above results are also relevant to the problem of inverse scattering for the so-called time-dependent Schrödinger equation.     

The Inverse Scattering Transform-Fourier Analysis for Nonlinear Problems

A systematic method is developed which allows one to identify certain important classes of evolution equations which can be solved by the method of inverse scattering. The form of each evolution equation is characterized by the dispersion relation of its associated linearized version and an integro-differential operator. A comprehensive presentation of the inverse scattering method is given and general features of the solution are discussed. The relationship of the scattering theory and Backlund transformations is brought out. In view of the role of the dispersion relation, the comparatively simple asymptotic states, and the similarity of the method itself to Fourier transforms, this theory can be considered a natural extension of Fourier analysis to nonlinear problems.     

Perturbations of Solitons and Solitary Waves

A direct perturbation method is developed to investigate the evolution of solitary waves in the presence of small perturbations. A uniformly valid first order solution is constructed. The method is applied to several nonlinear evolution equations which support solitons or solitary waves. Finally, the method is compared with other approaches in the literature.     

A dynamic study of earthworm feeding ecology -using stable isotopes

Changes in the specific diet of earthworms with time in relation to landuse changes and two different climates were studied by analysing (13)C and (15)N natural abundance in soils and animals. Soil samples from three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) and earthworms were collected from two sites: Santiago (Northwest Spain) and North Wyke (Southwest England) both consisting of replicated long-term grasslands and recently converted to maize plots. Earthworms were hand-sorted in the field at the peak of the maize growth and after harvesting at both sites. In the Spanish plots, nine and eight earthworm species, all belonging to the three ecological categories (epigeic, anecic and endogeic), were found under maize and permanent pasture, whereas at the English site five and seven different species were, respectively, identified. At both sites (13)C isotopic values of the earthworm tissues reflected changes in diet from C(3) to C(4) with epigeic and epi/anecic worms in the maize plots showing one delta unit difference in relation to the ones found in the grassland plots. Anecic worms seemed to be less responsive to landuse changes. The higher (13)C values of the Spanish soils were also reflected in the earthworm tissues when compared with the English samples. (15)N values showed no clear relationship with the cropping treatments but were clearly related to the ecological grouping, with endogeic worms reaching the highest values whereas for the epigeic and epi/anecic species the lowest values were obtained. This finding was also previously recorded by other authors1 and suggests that, in the future, stable isotope techniques could also be a useful tool in taxonomic studies. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.