# Compacton-like Solutions for Modified KdV and other Nonlinear Equations

## Abstract

We present compacton-like solution of the modified KdV equation and compare its properties with those of the compactons and solitons. We further show that, the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with a source term and other higher order KdV-like equations also possess compact solutions of the similar form.

Compactons are new class of localized solutions for families of fully nonlinear, dispersive, partial differential equations. Unlike the solitons, which, although highly localized, still have infinite span, these solutions have compact support; they vanish identically outside a finite region. Hence, these solitary waves have been christened as compactons . Remarkably, there is strong numerical evidence that, the collision of two compactons is elastic, a feature characterizing the solitons. These equations, arising in the context of pattern formation in nonlinear media, seem to have only a finite number of local conservation laws; yet, the behaviour of the solutions closely mimic those of the solitons of the integrable models.

The first, two parameter family of fully nonlinear, dispersive, equations $`K(m,n)`$, admitting compacton solutions, are of the form,

$$u_t+(u^m)_x+(u^n)_{3x}=0m>0,1<n<3,$$
(1)   
with $`u_t\frac{u}{t}`$ and $`u_x\frac{u}{x}`$. These equations arose in the process of understanding the role of nonlinear dispersion, in the formation of structures like liquid drops . The compacton solution of $`K(2,2)`$ reads,

$$u_c=\frac{4\lambda }{3}\mathrm{cos}^2(\frac{x\lambda t}{4}),$$
(2)   
when $`x\lambda t2\pi `$ and $`u_c=0`$, otherwise.   

Unlike the solitons, the width here is independent of velocity; however, the amplitude depends on it. It has been shown that, $`K(2,2)`$ admits only four local conservation laws. Some of the other representative compactons are,

$$u_c=[37.5\lambda (x\lambda t)^2]/30,$$
(3)   
and

$$u_c=\pm \sqrt{[3\lambda /2]}cos((x\lambda t)/3);$$
(4)   
these are the solutions of $`K(3,2)`$, and $`K(3,3)`$ equations, respectively.

The $`K(m,n)`$ family is not derivable from a first order Lagrangian, except for $`n=1`$ . A generalized sequence of KdV-like equations, which could be given a Lagrangian formulation, have also been shown to admit compacton solutions. These equations

$$u_t+u_xu^{l2}+\alpha [2u_{3x}u^p+4pu^{p1}u_xu_{2x}+p(p1)u^{p2}(u_x)^3]=0,$$
(5)   
have the same terms as in Eq.(1); the relative weights of the terms are different. Further generalizations to, one parameter generalized KdV equation , two parameter odd order KdV equations , enlarged the class of evolution equations, which admitted solutions with compact support. These type of solutions have also appeared in the context of baby Skyrmions .

The stability of the compacton solutions was considered in Ref. ; it was shown, by linear stability analysis, as well as, by Lyapunov stability criterion, that, these solutions are stable for arbitrary values of the nonlinear parameters.

None of the evolution equations possessing compacton solutions have been shown to be integrable; infact, some are non-integrable and possess only finite number of conserved quantities. Hence, it is of great interest to search for compacton-like solutions of the integrable nonlinear equations. In particular, one would like to compare their properties with the solitons on one hand, and the compactons on the other. Furthermore, the possibility of these compact solutions arising from the nonlinear equations, relevant for physical problems, will make them amenable for experimental detection.

In this note, we first show the existence of compacton-like solution to the modified KdV (MKdV) equation ,

$$u_t+u^2u_x+u_{3x}=0.$$
(6)   
The solution is of the form,

$$u_c(x,t)=\frac{\sqrt{32}}{3}k\frac{\mathrm{cos}^2k(x4k^2t)}{(1\frac{2}{3}\mathrm{cos}^2k(x4k^2t))},$$
(7)   
in the region $`(x4k^2t)\frac{\pi }{2k}`$ and zero otherwise.   
Note that, for this compact solution, both the width and amplitude are proportional to the square root of the velocity. This behaviour is reminiscent of the solitons. Though the second derivative of the solution is discontinuous at the boundaries, it is a strong solution of the equation of motion, a feature similar to the compactons. We would like to point out that, $`u_c(x,t)`$, when unconstrained is a periodic solution of the MKdV equation, which to the best of our knowledge, has not appeared in the literature earlier. Judicious truncation of the periodic solution, by confining it to the fundamental strip, gives the compact support for this solution. Though this is a solution of the integrable equation, one needs to be careful with the conserved quantities, in light of the fact that some derivatives of the solution are discontinuous at the boundaries.

The Hamiltonian from which MKdV equation can be derived by variational principle,

$$H=\frac{1}{2}_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}u_x^2𝑑x\frac{1}{12}_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}u^4𝑑x,$$
(8)   
and the momentum expression, given by,

$$P=\frac{1}{2}_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}u^2𝑑x,$$
(9)   
are well defined at the edges.

Explicitly, for the above solution, the energy and momentum are given, respectively by, $`E_c=(16/3)k^3`$ and $`P_c=4\pi k`$. For the soliton solution of the MKdV equation

$$u_s(x,t)=\sqrt{6}ksechk(xk^2t),$$
(10)   
the corresponding quantities are $`E_s=2k^3`$ and $`P_s=6k`$. Hence, the compacton for postive values of $`k`$, has lower energy compared to the soliton. The situation is opposite for negative values of $`k`$. Other conserved quantities, involving the even derivatives of the solutions, are not well defined at the boundaries. In this sense, these solutions are similar to compactons.

Next, we show that this compacton-like solution of the MKdV equation is also a strong solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) and higher order KdV-like equations.

The solution with compact support obeys the NLSE with a source term:

$$iq_t+\frac{1}{2}q_{xx}+q^2q\eta =0.$$
(11)   
Using the following anstaz,

$$q(x,t)=e^{i[\psi (\xi )\omega t]}a(\xi ),$$
(12)   
where $`\xi =xvt`$, and choosing the source term as $`\eta (\xi )=Ke^{i[\psi (\xi )\omega t]}`$, we can separate the real and the imaginary parts of the equation as,

$$v\psi ^{}a+\omega a+\frac{a^{\prime \prime }}{2}\frac{\psi _{}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}a}{2}+a^3K=0,$$
(13)   
$$va^{}+\frac{\psi ^{\prime \prime }a}{2}+\psi ^{}a^{}=0.$$
(14)   
Eq.(14) can be straightforwardly solved to give

$$\psi ^{}=v+\frac{P}{a^2},$$
(15)   
where $`P`$ is the integration constant. Choosing $`P=0`$, we arrive at the following solutions for the functions $`\psi (\xi )`$ and $`a(\xi )`$:

$$\psi (\xi )=v\xi ,$$
(16)   
and

$$a(\xi )=(\frac{16K}{27})^{1/3}\frac{\mathrm{cos}^2[(\frac{27}{16})^{\frac{1}{6}}K^{\frac{1}{3}}(xvt)]}{(1\frac{2}{3}\mathrm{cos}^2[(\frac{27}{16})^{\frac{1}{6}}K^{\frac{1}{3}}(xvt)])},$$
(17)   
where $`\omega `$ is related to $`v`$ by

$$2\omega +v^2=\frac{27}{4}(16K/27)^{2/3}.$$
(18)   
Note that, the solution exists for values of $`\omega \frac{27}{4}(16K/27)^{2/3}`$. We would like to add that, we have taken the simplest solution of the equation involving the phase. In principle, one can choose $`P0`$, which may give rise to shock-wave type solutions.

It is worth emphasizing that the NLSE plays a significant role in nonlinear optics ,. Since $`q`$ there, represents the electric field, the corresponding source term $`\mathrm{`}\eta ^{}`$ can be understood as dipole sources. Hence, a fluid nonlinear medium with moving dipoles can be a plausible source of these type of solitary waves.

We now show that this compacton-like solution also satisfies higher order KdV like equations:

$$u_t+(lu+mu^4)u_x+5u^2u_{3x}+pu_{5x}=0,$$
(19)   
where $`l=\frac{10}{3p},m=\frac{5}{3p}`$ and $`k^2=\frac{1}{4p}`$. The solution of this equation is of the form

$$u_c(x,t)=\frac{4}{3}\frac{\mathrm{cos}^2k(x4k^2t)}{(1\frac{2}{3}\mathrm{cos}^2k(x4k^2t))}.$$
(20)   
Note that, for this solution the amplitude is independent of the velocity where as the width depends on it. Interestingly, the following fifth order KdV-like equation,

$$u_t+lu^4u_x+u_x^3+u^2u_{3x}+qu_{5x}=0,$$
(21)   
has a compact solution of the form

$$u_c(x,t)=\frac{2\sqrt{10}}{3}\frac{\mathrm{cos}^2k(x4k^2t)}{(1\frac{2}{3}\mathrm{cos}^2k(x4k^2t))},$$
(22)   
for $`l=\frac{243}{10Q}`$ and $`k^2=\frac{1}{4Q}`$.

In conclusion, we have shown the existence of solutions with compact support for MKdV, nonlinear Schrödinger equation and higher order KdV-like equations. Since the MKdV equation manifests in diverse physical phenomena, it will be exciting, if these waves can be realized in an experimental situation. For this purpose, one needs to check the stability of these solutions. This question is currently under study. Similarly, one can enquire about the possibilities of these type of solutions occurring in other NLSE type equations arising in the context of nonlinear optics.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The work of CNK is supported by CSIR, INDIA, through S.R.A. Scheme. We acknowledge useful discussions with Prof. V. Srinivasan.