Limits of the uni-directional pulse propagation approximation
arXiv:0707.0986 · doi:10.1364/JOSAB.24.002363
Abstract
I apply the method of characteristics to both bi-directional and uni-directional pulse propagation in dispersionless media containing nonlinearity of arbitrary order. The differing analytic predictions for the shocking distance quantify the effects of the uni-directional approximation used in many pulse propagation models. Results from numerical simulations support the theoretical predictions, and reveal the nature of the coupling between forward and backward waves.
6 pages, 6 figures; this version contains an additional appendix not present in the published version