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Panayotis G. Kevrekidis

Publications and source records attributed to Panayotis G. Kevrekidis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Machine Learning of Nonlinear Waves: Data-Driven Methods for Computer-Assisted Discovery of Equations, Symmetries, Conservation Laws, and Integrability

The purpose of this article is to provide a perspective---admittedly, a rather subjective one---of recent developments at the interface of machine learning (ML)/data-driven methods and nonlinear wave studies. We review some recent pillars of the rapidly evolving landscape of scientific ML, including deep learning, data-driven equation discovery, Koopman-based methods, and operator learning, among others. We then showcase these methods in applications ranging from learning lattice dynamical models and reduced order modeling of effective dynamics to discovery of conservation laws and potential identification of integrability of ordinary differential equations (DEs) and partial DE models. Our intention is to make clear that these ML methods are complementary to the preexisting powerful tools of the nonlinear waves community, and should be integrated into this toolkit to augment and enable mathematical discoveries and computational capabilities in the age of data.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Inverse reconstruction of dissipative Kerr soliton interactions

We reconstruct the pairwise interaction potential between dissipative Kerr solitons from the linear stability spectrum of a perfect soliton crystal solution of the Lugiato--Lefever equation. The solitons form an overdamped lattice whose positional eigenvalues encode the pairwise-force derivative, mirroring the extraction of microscopic interactions from phonon or relaxation spectra in condensed-matter systems. The method extends beyond quadratic dispersion and assumes no functional form for the interaction. Our theory predicts a novel state -the soft soliton crystal- which has vanishing stiffness and a diverging positional relaxation time, and also explains experimentally observed soliton steps as arising from a sign reversal of the pairwise-force derivative.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

Learning Lax Pairs: Revisiting the Classical Paradigm

A Lax pair $(L,P)$ is sometimes thought of as a structural certificate, in that the spatial operator $L$ carries the spectral data of an integrable system, and its isospectral evolution under $\partial_t L = [L,P]$ encodes the nonlinear dynamics. Yet, experience shows that the correspondence between equations and Lax pairs is much more nuanced than this picture suggests. Equations can admit Lax pairs that fail to encode the expected integrable structure. This paper probes that anomalous corner of the Lax pair landscape through five case studies (the Euler top, the free Schrödinger equation, the inviscid Burgers equation, the shallow water system, and the Korteweg--de Vries equation), each illustrating a different way the link to integrability can be distorted. The approach combines analytical calculations with the Sparse Identification of Lax Operators (SILO) framework, which proved useful throughout, in some cases confirming the textbook pair and in others surfacing alternatives worth understanding on their own terms. The recurring lesson across the five cases is that compatibility underdetermines the Lax representation, so that anomalous pairs are regular features of the landscape rather than pathologies. Notably, we show that a spectrally degenerate Korteweg--de Vries Lax pair, classified as fake by standard criteria, still generates the full conservation hierarchy through its operator algebra, which shows that a blunt dichotomy between true and fake Lax pairs can be too reductive.

nlin.SI↗
arXiv2026

Traveling and Dispersive Shock Waves in a Two-Dimensional Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou Lattice

In the present work we analyze traveling and dispersive shock waves of a two-dimensional Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou lattice. In the first part of the paper, using variational techniques we prove the existence of both periodic and solitary traveling waves for convex potentials. In the case of unimodal profiles we are able to remove the assumption of convexity. The variational formulation also provides a natural algorithm for the numerical computation of traveling waves, which we use to explore both solitary and periodic traveling waves. The numerical computations are compared with analytical approximations based on the derivation of the KdV equation for quasi-one-dimensional propagation. In the second part of the paper, we focus on dispersive shock waves (DSWs), which are expanding modulated waves that connect states of different amplitude. In particular, we focus on line DSWs, which are constant along one direction and propagate in the direction orthogonal to which it is constant. Such solutions form when subject to quasi-one-dimensional jump initial data. We find that while the shape of the DSW depends on the direction of travel, properties such as the speed and amplitude do not. The systematic numerical study of the line~DSWs is then compared to those predicted by the KdV equation along the line of propagation. Key characteristics of the DSWs, such as the speeds of the trailing and leading edges, are investigated for various jump heights, yielding good agreement between simulation and KdV approximation in the limit of vanishing jump height. Finally, we apply the DSW fitting method to study the trailing and leading edge characteristics of the DSW, finding even better agreement to the numerics when compared to the KdV prediction. The KdV prediction and DSW fitting predictions agree in the limit of small jump height.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

On the quasi-continuum approximation of some localized patterns in the FPUT lattice

In the present work, we present a number of localized wave patterns that are theoretically analyzed and numerically illustrated to be observable within the widely applicable paradigm of the FPUT lattice. In particular, we derive a modified KdV equation from the FPUT lattice, which admits a variety of localized waves including these exact rational solutions representing rogue-wave profiles, solitons and breathers on the top of not only homogeneous, but also periodic elliptic function traveling-wave background. We utilize these exact solutions of the modified KdV reduction to construct consistent initial conditions for the FPUT lattice and perform time stepping of the latter. Relevant comparisons between these numerical solutions of the FPUT lattice and their associated analytical counterparts have been conducted to demonstrate good performance of the derived modified KdV reduction in approximating distinct localized wave structures from the FPUT lattice. This approach paves the way for importing a number of quasi-continuum waveforms to the FPUT lattice and the potential associated physical experiments, including recent ones in mechanical metamaterials.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Nonlinear Localized States on a Pyrochlore Lattice

In the present work we explore a prototypical three-dimensional (3d) lattice possessing a flat band in the form of a pyrochlore lattice in the context of a dispersive nonlinear dynamical model, namely the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger (DNLS) equation. We set up the corresponding steady state and dynamical problems and discuss the linear spectrum of the relevant model before delving into a more detailed analysis of the nonlinear equilibria of the system. For the latter, we analyze the more well-established -- at the DNLS level -- fundamental discrete soliton states, as well as vortex structures. For the fundamental solitary waves, we connect their existence and stability with how they approach the linear bands. In the vortex case, we identify their stability features for vortices of topological charge $S=1$ and $S=2$ with those of the honeycomb and triangular lattices. An arguably even more intriguing feature of the pyrochlore lattice concerns the compactly supported nonlinear eigenstates stemming from the flat band of the linear spectrum. These compact localized modes are found to possess oscillatory instabilities for a range of propagation constants in the focusing case, although they can be stable in the latter, while they are found to be subject to symmetry-breaking instabilities in the defocusing nonlinearity case. These results offer a glimpse at the nexus of topology, flat band systems and dispersive nonlinear lattices in three spatial dimensions and as such may be a starting point toward a deeper exploration of such an intriguing interplay.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

On the Riemann problem for the Adlam-Allen model

In the present work, we revisit the Adlam-Allen (AA) model in order to investigate its numerically observed rarefaction and dispersive shock waves that arise in numerical simulations of the Riemann problem associated with the model. On the one hand, we perform a direct analysis of the rarefaction and dispersive shock waves of the AA model via examining its corresponding dispersionless system and leveraging the DSW-fitting method to obtain theoretical predictions on various edge features of the dispersive shock waves. On the other hand, we review the KdV reduction of the AA model and utilize the KdV dispersive shock wave to approximate that of the AA model. Relevant numerical comparisons demonstrate the good performance of not only the direct analysis on the AA dispersive shock wave, but also of the approximation via the KdV DSW. These methodologies provide a systematic toolbox for analyzing the outcome of Riemann problems in not only this fundamental setting of cold plasmas but also potentially in related plasma-physics problems.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Collective coordinate descriptions of a kink in a driven-damped $ϕ^4$ model

Extending a recent effective theory formulation for the dynamics of kinks in the sine-Gordon model [1], we propose an analogous effective description of $ϕ^4$ kinks. Three different reduced models based on the kink position, width and internal mode amplitude are introduced and compared systematically with the numerical solution of the equation with space- and time-dependent perturbations. In all cases considered, the model based on the kink position and width agrees the best with the full numerical solution. As long as the external driving frequency of the perturbation remains moderate, it captures with remarkable accuracy the intricate dynamical processes taking place in the system.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Dark solitons in the fractional NLS equation

In the present work we consider the subject of dark fractional solitary waves in the realm of generalized (fractional) forms of the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation. While earlier studies have examined such states in the realm of real field theories, we showcase the existence and stability of individual dark solitary waves in such NLS settings and subsequently turn to two-soliton solutions. We find different branches of such two-soliton solution equilibria and contrary to the real field-theoretic setting all possible branches of two-soliton equilibria are found to be potentially unstable, although with different types of instabilities. Odd branches are potentially subject to oscillatory instabilities, while even branches are always exponentially unstable. The dynamics that results from the instabilities is also examined and is found to potentially feature breathing characteristics. This prompts us to seek and find associated periodic (breathing) orbits that are also unprecedented in this context, to the best of our knowledge. The effective particle-like dynamics of the solitary waves also prompts us to seek ordinary differential equation (ODE) descriptions to the dark soliton interaction dynamics. These are shown to hold promise toward providing us with effective reduced order models, indicating some potential directions for further investigation.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Formation of mechanical rogue waves

Rogue waves, characterized by their abrupt and extreme localization in space and time, have evolved from maritime folklore to subjects of intense study across diverse fields, from hydrodynamics and nonlinear optics to plasmas and condensed matter physics. In mechanical systems, however, experimental realization remains elusive despite theoretical and numerical predictions. This gap stems from the stringent requirements for controllable nonlinearity, the high-fidelity initialization of the system, and the necessity to overcome inherent energy dissipation. Here, we report the experimental formation of mechanical rogue waves in a precisely engineered one-dimensional metamaterial lattice with tailored nonlinearity and minimal dissipative losses. Using a precision electromagnetic release system, we prescribe initial strain profiles that trigger a transition from dispersive decay to extreme wave focusing. Our parametric analysis reveals that the emergence of these extreme events is strictly contingent upon a synergy between high nonlinearity and a broad spatial energy reservoir within the initial seed. Crucially, neither factor alone is sufficient to overcome dispersion and trigger the observed focusing. These findings establish a robust platform for studying transient nonlinear wave focusing phenomena in mechanical systems and offer insights for harnessing extreme wave localization for applications such as energy harvesting, waveguiding, and mechanical signal processing.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Front propagation in non-homogeneous $ϕ^4$ model

We investigate the propagation of fronts in an inhomogeneous medium within the framework of the $ϕ^4$ model. The inhomogeneity is modeled either as an interface separating regions with different dissipation or as a finite layer with modified dissipation. The propagating front is described in two ways: as a kink solution in an effectively unbounded domain, and as a half-kink in a finite system. The half-kink represents the decay of the unstable state $ϕ=0$ toward the true vacuum. We show that while the effective description based on the kink provides accurate results, applying a similar approach to the half-kink leads to significant deviations from the predictions of the field model. We then demonstrate that a consistent description does exist and propose a modified effective model which reproduces the field-theory results over a relatively broad range of parameters.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Observation of sine-Gordon-like solitons in a spinor Bose-Einstein condensate

We experimentally generate sine-Gordon-like solitons in a spin-1 spinor Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) utilizing a robust and reproducible local phase-imprinting scheme. We find that the soliton velocity can be tuned by the effective quadratic Zeeman shift. This enables the investigation of controlled soliton interactions, in which we observe the characteristic elastic collision behavior of the integrable sine-Gordon model. The spatial displacement -- the so-called phase shift -- between incoming and outgoing solitons, the signature of their pairwise interaction, is found to be in quantitative agreement with numerical spin-1 simulations within the error bars. These results establish spinor BECs as a highly controllable experimental platform for studying aspects of the dynamics of sine-Gordon-like models.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗
arXiv2026

Dispersive shock waves in periodic lattices

We introduce and systematically investigate the generation of dispersive shock waves, which arise naturally in physical settings such as optical waveguide arrays and superfluids confined within optical lattices. The underlying physically relevant model is a nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with a periodic potential. We consider the evolution of piecewise smooth initial data composed of two distinct nonlinear periodic eigenmodes. To begin interpreting the resulting wave dynamics, we employ the tight-binding approximation, reducing the continuous system to a discrete NLS (DNLS) model with piecewise constant initial data (i.e., a Riemann problem), where each constant state represents a discrete Floquet-Bloch mode at the continuum model level. The resulting tight-binding approximation is shown to display higher-fidelity for {deeper} periodic potentials. This reduced DNLS model effectively models the dynamics at the minima of the periodic potential of the original continuum NLS. Within such a single-band DNLS framework, we apply tools from Whitham modulation theory and long-wave quasi-continuum reductions to uncover and analyze a rich spectrum of non-convex, discrete dispersive hydrodynamic phenomena, comparing the resulting phenomenology with that of the periodic-potential-bearing continuum model.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Numerical Identification of Stationary States and Their Stability in a Model of Quantum Droplets

In this work, we are motivated by a recent variant of the nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation describing cold, dilute atomic condensates with quantum fluctuation effects. Our goal is to develop robust numerical methods capable of uncovering diverse stationary solutions in such NLS models. Specifically, and in line with recent theoretical and experimental interest, we focus on ultracold quantum droplets in Bose mixtures influenced by the Lee Huang Yang quantum fluctuation correction and study these systems in one and two dimensional settings. To this end, we deploy several numerical techniques. The homotopy grid method allows systematic refinement from coarse to fine spatial discretizations in one dimension, while the dimension by dimension homotopy approach extends one-dimensional solutions to two-dimensional domains. These methods effectively detect broad families of stationary states, many of which have not been previously reported, to the best of our knowledge. Furthermore, they enable the monitoring of solution continuation and bifurcation phenomena. During our investigation, we encounter unusual bifurcation events, including nonstandard pitchforks and saddle-center bifurcations, which exhibit novel stability transitions. For example, we identify continuous pathways connecting vortex and dark soliton stripe branches, absent in the standard cubic defocusing model. Overall, the presence of competing mean-field and quantum fluctuation interactions leads to a richer bifurcation structure than in traditional cubic NLS systems. These findings suggest that similar complex bifurcation and stability phenomena may appear in other settings, including higher-dimensional systems or models with competing nonlinearities such as cubic-quintic interactions, highlighting the importance of further theoretical and numerical exploration.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Dam breaks in the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation

In the present work we study the nucleation of Dispersive shock waves (DSW) in the {defocusing}, discrete nonlinear Schr{ö}dinger equation (DNLS), a model of wide relevance to nonlinear optics and atomic condensates. Here, we study the dynamics of so-called dam break problems with step-initial data characterized by two-parameters, one of which corresponds to the lattice spacing, while the other being the right hydrodynamic background. Our analysis bridges the anti-continuum limit of vanishing coupling strength with the well-established continuum integrable one. To shed light on the transition between the extreme limits, we theoretically deploy Whitham modulation theory, various quasi-continuum asymptotic reductions of the DNLS and existence and stability analysis and connect our findings with systematic numerical computations. Our work unveils a sharp threshold in the discretization across which qualitatively continuum dynamics from the dam breaks are observed. Furthermore, we observe a rich multitude of wave patterns in the small coupling limit including unsteady (and stationary) Whitham shocks, traveling DSWs, discrete NLS kinks and dark solitary waves, among others. Besides, we uncover the phenomena of DSW breakdown and the subsequent formation of multi-phase wavetrains, due to generalized modulational instability of \textit{two-phase} wavetrains. We envision this work as a starting point towards a deeper dive into the apparently rich DSW phenomenology in a wide class of DNLS models across different dimensions and for different nonlinearities.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Noisy nonlocal aggregation model with gradient flow structures

Interacting particle systems provide a fundamental framework for modeling collective behavior in biological, social, and physical systems. In many applications, stochastic perturbations are essential for capturing environmental variability and individual uncertainty, yet their impact on long-term dynamics and equilibrium structure remains incompletely understood, particularly in the presence of nonlocal interactions. We investigate a stochastic interacting particle system governed by potential-driven interactions and its continuum density formulation in the large-population limit. We introduce an energy functional and show that the macroscopic density evolution has a gradient-flow structure in the Wasserstein-2 space. The associated variational framework yields equilibrium states through constrained energy minimization and illustrates how noise regulates the density and mitigates singular concentration. We demonstrate the connection between microscopic and macroscopic descriptions through numerical examples in one and two dimensions. Within the variational framework, we compute energy minimizers and perform a linear stability analysis. The numerical results show that the stable minimizers agree with the long-time dynamics of the macroscopic density model.

nlin.AO↗
arXiv2026

Rogue waves in extended Gross-Pitaevskii Models with a Lee-Huang-Yang correction

We explore the existence and dynamical generation of rogue waves (RWs) within a one dimensional quantum droplet bearing environment. RWs are computed by deploying a spacetime fixed point scheme to the relevant extended Gross Pitaevskii equation (eGPE). Parametric regions where the ensuing RWs are different from their counterparts in the nonlinear Schroedinger equation are identified. To corroborate the controllable generation, relevant to ultracold atom experiments, of these rogue patterns we exploit two different protocols. The first is based on interfering dam break flows emanating from Riemann initial conditions and the second refers to the gradient catastrophe of a spatially localized waveform. A multitude of possible RWs are found in this system, spanning waveforms reminiscent of the Peregrine soliton, its spatially periodic variants, namely, the Akhmediev breathers, and other higher order RW solutions of the nonlinear Schroedinger equation. Key elements of the shape of the corresponding eGPE RWs traced back to nonintegrability and the presence of competing interactions are discussed. Our results set the stage for probing a multitude of unexplored rogue like waveforms in such mixtures with competing interactions and should be accessible to current ultracold atom experiments.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗
arXiv2025

Orbital stability of kinks in the NLS equation with competing nonlinearities

Kinks connecting zero and nonzero equilibria in the NLS equation with competing nonlinearities occur at the special values of the frequency parameter. Since they are minimizers of energy, they are expected to be orbitally stable in the time evolution of the NLS equation. However, the stability proof is complicated by the degeneracy of kinks near the nonzero equilibrium. The main purpose of this work is to give a rigorous proof of the orbital stability of kinks. We give details of analysis for the cubic--quintic NLS equation and show how the proof is extended to the general case.

math.AP↗