arXiv subjects

Boaz Ilan

Publications and source records attributed to Boaz Ilan.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Dry dam-break over parabolic bathymetry

Motivated by dry dambreak flows, a perturbative framework for solving the 1D shallow water equations (SWE) over parabolic bathymetry, together with the inviscid Burgers' equation, is developed. Expressed in Riemann variables, the solutions are expanded as analytic power series in the bathymetric curvature $\omega^2$ and summed in closed form in terms of trigonometric functions. The solutions, termed generalised rarefaction waves (GRWs), exhibit finite-time singularities and are shown to describe the asymptotic behaviour of the fluid near dry (vacuum) points. The GRWs bear direct relevance to wave run-up at a shore. A repulsive parabolic hill bathymetry is also considered, yielding solutions in terms of hyperbolic functions. The connection to the nonlinear Schr\"odinger/Gross-Pitaevskii equation that models Bose-Einstein condensates confined in a harmonic potential is discussed. The analytical results agree with direct numerical simulations of the Burgers' equation and of the SWE in different scenarios.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2025

Breaking a superfluid harmonic dam: Observation and theory of Riemann invariants and accelerating sonic horizons

An experimental and theoretical study of sonic horizons emerging from the dam-break problem in a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an anisotropic harmonic trap is presented. Measurements, analysis, and numerics reveal the formation of a sonic horizon that undergoes acceleration due to harmonic confinement. The superfluid is characterized using a robust measurement technique to determine Riemann invariants. Experimental observations agree with an analytical solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation and computations. The collision and annihilation between two sonic horizons at long times is predicted.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2023

Whitham modulation theory and two-phase instabilities for generalized nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equations with full dispersion

The generalized nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with full dispersion (FDNLS) is considered in the semiclassical regime. The Whitham modulation equations are obtained for the FDNLS equation with general linear dispersion and a generalized, local nonlinearity. Assuming the existence of a four-parameter family of two-phase solutions, a multiple-scales approach yields a system of four independent, first order, quasi-linear conservation laws of hydrodynamic type that correspond to the slow evolution of the two wavenumbers, mass, and momentum of modulated periodic traveling waves. The modulation equations are further analyzed in the dispersionless and weakly nonlinear regimes. The ill-posedness of the dispersionless equations corresponds to the classical criterion for modulational instability (MI). For modulations of linear waves, ill-posedness coincides with the generalized MI criterion, recently identified by Amiranashvili and Tobisch (New J. Phys. 21 (2019)). A new instability index is identified by the transition from real to complex characteristics for the weakly nonlinear modulation equations. This instability is associated with long-wavelength modulations of nonlinear two-phase wavetrains and can exist even when the corresponding one-phase wavetrain is stable according to the generalized MI criterion. Another interpretation is that, while infinitesimal perturbations of a periodic wave may not grow, small but finite amplitude perturbations may grow, hence this index identifies a nonlinear instability mechanism for one-phase waves. Classifications of instability indices for multiple FDNLS equations with higher order dispersion, including applications to finite depth water waves and the discrete NLS equation are presented and compared with direct numerical simulations.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2020

Whitham modulation theory for generalized Whitham equations and a general criterion for modulational instability

The Whitham equation was proposed as a model for surface water waves that combines the quadratic flux nonlinearity $f(u) = \tfrac{1}{2}u^2$ of the Korteweg-de Vries equation and the full linear dispersion relation $\Omega(k) = \sqrt{k\tanh k}$ of uni-directional gravity water waves in suitably scaled variables. This paper proposes and analyzes a generalization of Whitham's model to unidirectional nonlinear wave equations consisting of a general nonlinear flux function $f(u)$ and a general linear dispersion relation $\Omega(k)$. Assuming the existence of periodic traveling wave solutions to this generalized Whitham equation, their slow modulations are studied in the context of Whitham modulation theory. A multiple scales calculation yields the modulation equations, a system of three conservation laws that describe the slow evolution of the periodic traveling wave's wavenumber, amplitude, and mean. In the weakly nonlinear limit, explicit, simple criteria in terms of general $f(u)$ and $\Omega(k)$ establishing the strict hyperbolicity and genuine nonlinearity of the modulation equations are determined. This result is interpreted as a generalized Lighthill-Whitham criterion for modulational instability.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2018

Candlestick Modes and Anisotropic Collapse of Dipolar Bose-Einstein Condensates

We use a gradient-decent method to compute 3D ground states of dipolar Bose-Einstein conden- sates. We discover that in highly-prolate traps, whose long axis is parallel to the dipoles, can give rise to candlestick ground states. Direct numerical simulations of the dipolar Gross-Pitaevskii equation reveal that the nucleus of the candlestick mode undergoes collapse, while obtaining a highly flat pancake shape. The rate of this anisotropic collapse scales differently from what occurs in isotropic collapse. Stability analysis reveals a surprising cusp point in the mass vs. chemical potential curve, which may serve as a signature for this dynamics.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2013

On the Galerkin / finite-element method for the Serre equations

A highly accurate numerical scheme is presented for the Serre system of partial differential equations, which models the propagation of dispersive shallow water waves in the fully-nonlinear regime. The fully-discrete scheme utilizes the Galerkin / finite-element method based on smooth periodic splines in space, and an explicit fourth-order Runge-Kutta method in time. Computations compared with exact solitary and cnoidal wave solutions show that the scheme achieves the optimal orders of accuracy in space and time. These computations also show that the stability of this scheme does not impose restrictive conditions on the temporal step size. In addition, solitary, cnoidal, and dispersive shock waves are studied in detail using this numerical scheme for the Serre system and compared with the 'classical' Boussinesq system for small-amplitude shallow water waves. The results show that the interaction of solitary waves in the Serre system is more inelastic. The efficacy of the numerical scheme for modeling dispersive shocks is shown by comparison with asymptotic results. These results have application to the modeling of shallow water waves of intermediate or large amplitude, such as occurs in the nearshore zone.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2010

Band-edge solitons, Nonlinear Schrodinger / Gross-Pitaevskii Equations and Effective Media

We consider a class of nonlinear Schrodinger / Gross-Pitaevskii (NLS/GP) equations with periodic potentials, having an even symmetry. We construct "solitons", centered about any point of symmetry of the potential. For focusing (attractive) nonlinearities, these solutions bifurcate from the zero state at the lowest band edge frequency, into the semi-infinite spectral gap. Our results extend to bifurcations into finite spectral gaps, for focusing or defocusing (repulsive) nonlinearities under more restrictive hypotheses. Soliton nonlinear bound states with frequencies near a band edge are well-approximated by a slowly decaying solution of a homogenized NLS/GP equation, with constant homogenized effective mass tensor and effective nonlinear coupling coefficient, modulated by a Bloch state. For the critical NLS equation with a periodic potential, e.g. the cubic two dimensional NLS/GP with a periodic potential, our results imply that the limiting soliton power, as the spectral band edge frequency is approached, is equal to a constant ζ_* times the minimal mass soliton of the translation invariant critical NLS equation. ζ_* is expressible in terms of the band edge Bloch eigenfunction and the determinant of the effective mass tensor; and 0<ζ_*<1$ for any non-constant potential. The results are confirmed by numerical computation of bound states with frequencies near the spectral band edge. Finally, these results have implications for the control of nonlinear waves using periodic structures.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2003

Multiple filamentation induced by input-beam ellipticity

The standard explanation for multiple filamentation (MF) of intense laser beams has been that it is initiated by input beam noise (modulational instability). In this study we provide the first experimental evidence that MF can also be induced by input beam ellipticity. Unlike noise-induced beam breakup, the MF pattern induced by ellipticity is reproducible shot to shot. Moreover, our experiments show that ellipticity can dominate the effect of noise, thus providing the first experimental methodology for controlling the MF pattern of noisy beams. The results are explained using a theoretical model and simulations.

nlin.PS↗