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We present an analytical model of integrable turbulence in the focusing nonlinear Schrödinger (fNLS) equation, generated by a one-parameter family of finite-band elliptic potentials in the semiclassical limit. We show that the spectrum of these potentials exhibits a thermodynamic band/gap scaling compatible with that of soliton and breather gases depending on the value of the elliptic parameter 𝑚 of the potential. We then demonstrate that, upon augmenting the potential by a small random noise (which is inevitably present in real physical systems), the solution of the fNLS equation evolves into a fully randomized, spatially homogeneous breather gas, a phenomenon we call breather gas fission. We show that the statistical properties of the breather gas at large times are determined by the spectral density of states generated by the unperturbed initial potential. We analytically compute the kurtosis of the breather gas as a function of the elliptic parameter 𝑚 , and we show that it is greater than 2 for all nonzero 𝑚 , implying non-Gaussian statistics. Finally, we verify the theoretical predictions by comparison with direct numerical simulations of the fNLS equation. These results establish a link between semiclassical limits of integrable systems and the statistical characterization of their soliton and breather gases. 

A discussion of three-wave interaction systems with rapidly decaying data is provided. Included are the classical and two nonlocal three-wave interaction systems. These three-wave equations are formulated from underlying compatible linear systems and are connected to a third order linear scattering problem. The inverse scattering transform (IST) is carried out in detail for all these three-wave interaction equations. This entails obtaining and analyzing the direct scattering problem, discrete eigenvalues, symmetries, the inverse scattering problem via Riemann--Hilbert methods, minimal scattering data, and time dependence. In addition, soliton solutions illustrating energy sharing mechanisms are also discussed. A crucial step in the analysis is the use of adjoint eigenfunctions which connects the third order scattering problem to key eigenfunctions that are analytic in the upper/lower half planes. The general compatible nonlinear wave system and its classical and nonlocal three-wave reductions are asymptotic limits of physically significant nonlinear equations, including water/gravity waves with surface tension. 

Three wave resonant triad interactions in two space and one time dimensions form a well-known system of first-order quadratically nonlinear evolution equations that arise in many areas of physics. In deep water waves, they were first derived by Simmons in 1969 and later shown to be exactly solvable by Ablowitz & Haberman in 1975. Specifically, integrability was established by introducing a system of six wave interactions whose symmetry reduction leads to the well-known three wave equations. Here, it is shown that the six wave interaction and classical three wave equations satisfying triad resonance conditions in finite-depth gravity waves can be derived from the non-local integro-differential formulation of the free surface gravity wave equation with surface tension. These quadratically nonlinear six wave interaction equations and their reductions to the classical and non-local complex as well as real reverse space–time three wave interaction equations are integrable. Limits to infinite and shallow water depth are also discussed. 

Abstract Integrable standard and nonlocal derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equations are investigated. The direct and inverse scattering are constructed for these equations; included are both the Riemann–Hilbert and Gel’fand–Levitan–Marchenko approaches and soliton solutions. As a typical application, it is shown how these derivative NLS equations can be obtained as asymptotic limits from a nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation. 

Abstract The mathematical description of localized solitons in the presence of large‐scale waves is a fundamental problem in nonlinear science, with applications in fluid dynamics, nonlinear optics, and condensed matter physics. Here, the evolution of a soliton as it interacts with a rarefaction wave or a dispersive shock wave, examples of slowly varying and rapidly oscillating dispersive mean fields, for the Korteweg–de Vries equation is studied. Step boundary conditions give rise to either a rarefaction wave (step up) or a dispersive shock wave (step down). When a soliton interacts with one of these mean fields, it can either transmit through (tunnel) or become embedded (trapped) inside, depending on its initial amplitude and position. A topical review of three separate analytical approaches is undertaken to describe these interactions. First, a basic soliton perturbation theory is introduced that is found to capture the solution dynamics for soliton–rarefaction wave interaction in the small dispersion limit. Next, multiphase Whitham modulation theory and its finite‐gap description are used to describe soliton–rarefaction wave and soliton–dispersive shock wave interactions. Lastly, a spectral description and an exact solution of the initial value problem is obtained through the inverse scattering transform. For transmitted solitons, far‐field asymptotics reveal the soliton phase shift through either type of wave mentioned above. In the trapped case, there is no proper eigenvalue in the spectral description, implying that the evolution does not involve a proper soliton solution. These approaches are consistent, agree with direct numerical simulation, and accurately describe different aspects of solitary wave–mean field interaction.