Numerical Solutions of the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with a Square Root Nonlinearity

Abstract

The time evolution of bright solitons in an ion-acoustic plasma with non-isothermal electrons are determined numerically by using the Crank-Nicolson scheme. Head-on collisions between two solitons with the same and different amplitudes are investigated. Both types of collision are found to be inelastic -- the amplitudes and speeds of the outgoing solitons are a little different from those of the incoming solitons.