Integrability and Linear Stability of Nonlinear Waves

Periodic and Solitary Wave Solutions of the Long Wave–Short Wave Yajima–Oikawa–Newell Model

Models describing long wave–short wave resonant interactions have many physical applications, from fluid dynamics to plasma physics. We consider here the Yajima–Oikawa–Newell (YON) model, which was recently introduced, combining the interaction terms of two long wave–short wave, integrable models, one proposed by Yajima–Oikawa, and the other one by Newell. The new YON model contains two arbitrary coupling constants and it is still integrable—in the sense of possessing a Lax pair—for any values of these coupling constants. It reduces to the Yajima–Oikawa or the Newell systems for special choices of these two parameters. We construct families of periodic and solitary wave solutions, which display the generation of very long waves. We also compute the explicit expression of a number of conservation laws.

A new integrable model of long wave-short wave interaction and linear stability spectra

We consider the propagation of short waves which generate waves of much longer (infinite) wavelength. Model equations of such long wave-short wave (LS) resonant interaction, including integrable ones, are well known and have received much attention because of their appearance in various physical contexts, particularly fluid dynamics and plasma physics. Here we introduce a new LS integrable model which generalizes those first proposed by Yajima and Oikawa and by Newell. By means of its associated Lax pair, we carry out the linear stability analysis of its continuous wave solutions by introducing the stability spectrum as an algebraic curve in the complex plane. This is done starting from the construction of the eigenfunctions of the linearized LS model equations. The geometrical features of this spectrum are related to the stability/instability properties of the solution under scrutiny. Stability spectra for the plane wave solutions are fully classified in the parameter space together with types of modulational instabilities.

A proof of validity for multiphase Whitham modulation theory

It is proved that approximations which are obtained as solutions of the multiphase Whitham modulation equations stay close to solutions of the original equation on a natural time scale. The class of nonlinear wave equations chosen for the starting point is coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations. These equations are not in general integrable, but they have an explicit family of multiphase wavetrains that generate multiphase Whitham equations, which may be elliptic, hyperbolic, or of mixed type. Due to the change of type, the function space set-up is based on Gevrey spaces with initial data analytic in a strip in the complex plane. In these spaces a Cauchy–Kowalevskaya-like existence and uniqueness theorem is proved. Building on this theorem and higher-order approximations to Whitham theory, a rigorous comparison of solutions, of the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations and the multiphase Whitham modulation equations, is obtained.

Rogue Wave Type Solutions and Spectra of Coupled Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations

The formation of rogue oceanic waves may be the result of different causes. Various factors (winds, currents, dispersive focussing, depth, nonlinear focussing and instability) make this subject intriguing, and yet its understanding is quite relevant to practical issues. Here, we deal only with the nonlinear character of this dynamics, which has been recognised as the main ingredient to rogue wave formation. In this perspective, the formation of rogue waves requires a non-vanishing and unstable background such as a nonlinear regular wave train with attractive self-interaction. The simplest, best known model of such dynamics is the universal nonlinear Schrödinger equation. This has proven to serve as a good approximation in various contexts and over a broad range of experimental settings. This model aims to give the slow evolution of the envelope of one monochromatic wave due to nonlinearity. Here, we naturally consider the same problem for the envelopes of two weakly resonant monochromatic waves. As for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which is integrable, we adopt an integrable model to describe the interaction of two waves. This is the system of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations (Manakov model) with self- and cross-interactions that may be both defocussing and focussing. We first discuss the linear stability properties of the background by computing the spectrum for all values of the parameters such as coupling constants and amplitudes. In particular, we relate the instability bands to properties of the spectrum and compute the gain function (or growth rate). We also relate to the stability spectrum the value of the spectral variable, which corresponds to a rogue wave solution. In contrast with the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, different types of single rogue wave exist that correspond to different values of the spectral variable even in the same spectrum. For these critical values, which are completely classified, we give the corresponding explicit expression of the rogue wave solution that follows from the well known Darboux–Dressing transformation method. Although not all systems of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations that have been derived in water wave dynamics are integrable, our investigation contributes to the understanding of new effects due to wave coupling, at least for model equations that, even if not integrable, are close enough to the model considered here. For instance, our findings lead to investigate rogue waves generated by instabilities due to self- and cross-interactions of defocusing type. An illustrative selection of two coupled rogue waves solutions is displayed.