solitonslocalized
Solitons are self-reinforcing, localized wave packets that maintain their shape while they propagate at a constant velocity. They arise in nonlinear systems and are a fundamental concept in various fields of physics and mathematics. Unlike linear waves, which tend to disperse and spread out over time, solitons exhibit remarkable stability. This stability arises from a delicate balance between the nonlinear effects that tend to steepen the wave and dispersive effects that tend to broaden it. When these opposing forces are precisely matched, the wave can travel indefinitely without changing its form.
The term "soliton" was coined by physicist Norman Zabusky in 1965, who observed these stable, particle-like waves