arXiv subjects

Bernard Deconinck

Publications and source records attributed to Bernard Deconinck.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Direct Characterization of Spectral Stability of Small Amplitude Periodic Waves in Scalar Hamiltonian Problems Via Dispersion Relation

Various approaches to studying the stability of solutions of nonlinear PDEs lead to explicit formulae determining the stability or instability of the wave for a wide range of classes of equations. However, these are typically specialized to a particular equation and checking the stability conditions may not be not straightforward. We present results for a large class of problems that reduce the determination of spectral stability of a wave to a simple task of locating zeros of explicitly constructed polynomials. We study spectral stability of small-amplitude periodic waves in scalar Hamiltonian problems as a perturbation of the zero-amplitude case. A necessary condition for stability of the wave is that the unperturbed spectrum is restricted to the imaginary axis. Instability can come about through a Hamiltonian-Hopf bifurcation, i.e., of a collision of purely imaginary eigenvalues of the Floquet spectrum of opposite Krein signature. In recent work on the stability of small-amplitude waves the dispersion relation of the unperturbed problem was shown to play a central role. We demonstrate that the dispersion relation provides even more explicit information about wave stability: we construct a polynomial of half the degree of the dispersion relation, and its roots directly characterize not only collisions of eigenvalues at zero-amplitude but also an agreement or a disagreement of their Krein signatures. Based on this explicit information it is possible to detect instabilities of non-zero amplitude waves. In our analysis we stay away from the possible instabilities at the origin of the spectral plane corresponding to modulation or Benjamin-Fair instability. Generalized KdV and its higher-order analogues are used as illustrating examples.

math.AP↗

arXiv2018

The time-dependent Schrödinger equation with piecewise constant potentials

The linear Schrödinger equation with piecewise constant potential in one spatial dimension is a well-studied textbook problem. It is one of only a few solvable models in quantum mechanics and shares many qualitative features with physically important models. In examples such as "particle in a box" and tunneling, attention is restricted to the time-independent Schrödinger equation. This paper combines the Unified Transform Method and recent insights for interface problems to present fully explicit solutions for the time-dependent problem.

math.AP↗

arXiv2018

Numerical inverse scattering for the sine-Gordon equation

We implement the numerical inverse scattering transform (NIST) for the sine-Gordon equation in laboratory coordinates on the real line using the method developed by Trogdon, Olver and Deconinck. The NIST allows one to compute the solution at any x and t without having spatial discretization or time-stepping. The numerical implementation is fully spectrally accurate. With the help of the method of nonlinear steepest descent, the NIST is demonstrated to be uniformly accurate.

nlin.SI↗

arXiv2018

On the nonintegrability of equations for long- and short-wave interactions

We examine the integrability of two models used for the interaction of long and short waves in dispersive media. One is more classical but arguably cannot be derived from the underlying water wave equations, while the other one was recently derived. We use the method of Zakharov and Schulman to attempt to construct conserved quantities for these systems at different orders in the magnitude of the solutions. The coupled KdV-NLS model is shown to be nonintegrable, due to the presence of fourth-order resonances. A coupled real KdV - complex KdV system is shown to suffer the same fate, except for three special choices of the coefficients, where higher-order calculations or a different approach are necessary to conclude integrability or the absence thereof.

math-ph↗

arXiv2017

Fokas's Uniform Transform Method for linear systems

We demonstrate the use of the Unified Transform Method or Method of Fokas for boundary value problems for systems of constant-coefficient linear partial differential equations. We discuss how the apparent branch singularities typically appearing in the global relation are removable, allowing the method to proceed, in essence, as for scalar problems. We illustrate the use of the method with boundary value problems for the Klein-Gordon equation and the linearized Fitzhugh-Nagumo system. The case of wave equations is treated separately in an appendix.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

The Stability Spectrum for Elliptic Solutions to the Sine-Gordon Equation

We present an analysis of the stability spectrum for all stationary periodic solutions to the sine-Gordon equation. An analytical expression for the spectrum is given. From this expression, various quantitative and qualitative results about the spectrum are derived. Specifically, the solution parameter space is shown to be split into regions of distinct qualitative behavior of the spectrum, in one of which the solutions are stable. Additional results on the stability of solutions with respect to perturbations of an integer multiple of the solution period are given.

nlin.SI↗

arXiv2017

The Stability Spectrum for Elliptic Solutions to the Focusing NLS Equation

We present an analysis of the stability spectrum of all stationary elliptic-type solutions to the focusing Nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS). An analytical expression for the spectrum is given. From this expression, various quantitative and qualitative results about the spectrum are derived. Specifically, the solution parameter space is shown to be split into four regions of distinct qualitative behavior of the spectrum. Additional results on the stability of solutions with respect to perturbations of an integer multiple of the period are given, as well as a procedure for approximating the greatest real part of the spectrum.

nlin.SI↗

arXiv2016

The Linear KdV Equation with an Interface

The interface problem for the linear Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation in one-dimensional piecewise homogeneous domains is examined by constructing an explicit solution in each domain. The location of the interface is known and a number of compatibility conditions at the boundary are imposed. We provide an explicit characterization of sufficient interface conditions for the construction of a solution using Fokas's Unified Transform Method. The problem and the method considered here extend that of earlier papers to problems with more than two spatial derivatives.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

The instability of Wilton ripples

Wilton ripples are a type of periodic traveling wave solution of the full water wave problem incorporating the effects of surface tension. They are characterized by a resonance phenomenon that alters the order at which the resonant harmonic mode enters in a perturbation expansion. We compute such solutions using non-perturbative numerical methods and investigate their stability by examining the spectrum of the water wave problem linearized about the resonant traveling wave. Instabilities are observed that differ from any previously found in the context of the water wave problem.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

The interaction of long and short waves in dispersive media

The KdV equation models the propagation of long waves in dispersive media, while the NLS equation models the dynamics of narrow-bandwidth wave packets consisting of short dispersive waves. A system that couples the two equations to model the interaction of long and short waves seems attractive and such a system has been studied over the last decades. We evaluate the validity of this system, discussing two main problems. First, only the system coupling the linear Schrödinger equation with KdV has been derived in the literature. Second, the time variables appearing in the equations are of a different order. It appears that in the manuscripts that study the coupled NLS-KdV system, an assumption has been made that the coupled system can be derived, justifying its mathematical study. In fact, this is true even for the papers where the asymptotic derivation with the problems described above is presented. In addition to discussing these inconsistencies, we present some alternative systems describing the interaction of long and short waves.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2016

Initial-to-Interface Maps for the Heat Equation on Composite Domains

A map from the initial conditions to the values of the function and its first spatial derivative evaluated at the interface is constructed for the heat equation on finite and infinite domains with $n$ interfaces. The existence of this map allows changing the problem at hand from an interface problem to a boundary value problem which allows for an alternative to the approach of finding a closed-form solution to the interface problem.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

High-frequency instabilities of small-amplitude solutions of Hamiltonian PDEs

Generalizing ideas of MacKay, and MacKay and Saffman, a necessary condition for the presence of high-frequency ( i.e., not modulational) instabilities of small-amplitude periodic solutions of Hamiltonian partial differential equations is presented, entirely in terms of the Hamiltonian of the linearized problem. With the exception of a Krein signature calculation, the theory is completely phrased in terms of the dispersion relation of the linear problem. The general theory changes as the Poisson structure of the Hamiltonian partial differential equation is changed. Two important cases of such Poisson structures are worked out in full generality. An example not fitting these two important cases is presented as well, using a candidate Boussinesq-Whitham equation.

math.AP↗

arXiv2014

Interface Problems for Dispersive equations

The interface problem for the linear Schrödinger equation in one-dimensional piecewise homogeneous domains is examined by providing an explicit solution in each domain. The location of the interfaces is known and the continuity of the wave function and a jump in their derivative at the interface are the only conditions imposed. The problem of two semi-infinite domains and that of two finite-sized domains are examined in detail. The problem and the method considered here extend that of an earlier paper by Deconinck, Pelloni and Sheils (2014). The dispersive nature of the problem presents additional difficulties that are addressed here.

math-ph↗

arXiv2014

Non-steady state heat conduction in composite walls

The problem of heat conduction in one-dimensional piecewise homogeneous composite materials is examined by providing an explicit solution of the one-dimensional heat equation in each domain. The location of the interfaces is known, but neither temperature nor heat flux are prescribed there. Instead, the physical assumptions of their continuity at the interfaces are the only conditions imposed. The problem of two semi-infinite domains and that of two finite-sized domains are examined in detail. We indicate also how to extend the solution method to the setting of one finite-sized domain surrounded on both sides by semi-infinite domains, and on that of three finite-sized domains.

math-ph↗

arXiv2013

A numerical dressing method for the nonlinear superposition of solutions of the KdV equation

In this paper we present the unification of two existing numerical methods for the construction of solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. The first method is used to solve the Cauchy initial-value problem on the line for rapidly decaying initial data. The second method is used to compute finite-genus solutions of the KdV equation. The combination of these numerical methods allows for the computation of exact solutions that are asymptotically (quasi-)periodic finite-gap solutions and are a nonlinear superposition of dispersive, soliton and (quasi-)periodic solutions in the finite (x,t)-plane. Such solutions are referred to as superposition solutions. We compute these solutions accurately for all values of x and t.

math-ph↗

arXiv2013

Dispersive and soliton perturbations of finite-genus solutions of the KdV equation: computational results

All solutions of the Korteweg -- de Vries equation that are bounded on the real line are physically relevant, depending on the application area of interest. Usually, both analytical and numerical approaches consider solution profiles that are either spatially localized or (quasi)periodic. In this paper, we discuss a class of solutions that is a nonlinear superposition of these two cases: their asymptotic state for large $|x|$ is (quasi)periodic, but they may contain solitons, with or without dispersive tails. Such scenarios might occur in the case of localized perturbations of previously present sea swell, for instance. Such solutions have been discussed from an analytical point of view only recently. We numerically demonstrate different features of these solutions.

math-ph↗

arXiv2011

Recovering the Water-Wave Profile from Pressure Measurements

A new method is proposed to recover the water-wave surface elevation from pressure data obtained at the bottom of the fluid. The new method requires the numerical solution of a nonlocal nonlinear equation relating the pressure and the surface elevation which is obtained from the Euler formulation of the water-wave problem without approximation. From this new equation, a variety of different asymptotic formulas are derived. The nonlocal equation and the asymptotic formulas are compared with both numerical data and physical experiments. The solvability properties of the nonlocal equation are rigorously analyzed using the Implicit Function Theorem.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2005

Instabilities of one-dimensional stationary solutions of the cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation

The two-dimensional cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation admits a large family of one-dimensional bounded traveling-wave solutions. All such solutions may be written in terms of an amplitude and a phase. Solutions with piecewise constant phase have been well studied previously. Some of these solutions were found to be stable with respect to one-dimensional perturbations. No such solutions are stable with respect to two-dimensional perturbations. Here we consider stability of the larger class of solutions whose phase is dependent on the spatial dimension of the one-dimensional wave form. We study the spectral stability of such nontrivial-phase solutions numerically, using Hill's method. We present evidence which suggests that all such nontrivial-phase solutions are unstable with respect to both one- and two-dimensional perturbations. Instability occurs in all cases: for both the elliptic and hyperbolic nonlinear Schrodinger equations, and in the focusing and defocusing case.

nlin.PS↗