Solitons
A soliton is a self-reinforcing wave packet that maintains its shape while traveling at a constant speed. This phenomenon occurs in various physical systems, such as fluids and optical fibers, where non-linear effects balance dispersion. Solitons can be described mathematically and are often used to model complex wave behaviors.
The concept of solitons was first discovered in the context of water waves by John Scott Russell in the 19th century. Since then, solitons have been found in diverse fields, including plasma physics, quantum field theory, and biological systems, highlighting their significance in understanding wave dynamics.