Splitting of strain solitons upon their interaction

Abstract

The results from analytical studies and numerical simulations of strain soliton interaction are presented. It is shown that soliton collisions are of an inelastic character; i.e., secondary (daughter) solitons with lower energies are produced after a collision, and either the residual energy is spent in a wave process, or additional secondary solitons can form if the energy is sufficient. Qualitatively different scenarios of this interaction depend on the relative velocity of collision. Elements of visualizing nonlinear wave processes via shadowgraphy are discussed.