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Build your own soliton generator

Article  in  The Physics Teacher · October 1998

DOI: 10.1119/1.879937

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Build your own soliton generator
Antônio B. Nassar

Citation: The Physics Teacher 36, 498 (1998); doi: 10.1119/1.879937

View online: https://doi.org/10.1119/1.879937
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Published by the American Association of Physics Teachers

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A P P A R A T U S
FOR TEACHING PHYSICS

Column Editor: Karl C. Mamola, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Appalachian State
University, Boone, NC 28608; [email protected]

Build Your Own Soliton Generator

Antônio B. Nassar, The Science Department, The Harvard-Westlake School, 3700 Coldwater Canyon,
North Hollywood, CA 91604; [email protected]

T he concept of a “solitary
wave” was first introduced in
1844 by the British engineer
J. S. Russell to characterize his obser-
vation of a localized mass of water
soliton was fundamentally different
from other propagating solitons
observed before—it remained sta-
tionary along the length of a water
trough while sloshing back and forth
The user can go back and forth
from the nonpropagating hydrody-
namic soliton to ordinary standing
waves to show a self-focusing phe-
nomenon resulting from the balance
propagating along a narrow canal across the width of the same trough. of dispersion and nonlinearity. This
without changing its form or speed. The nonpropagating soliton is robust demonstration can be used by
The term “soliton” was used in and stable within a range of frequen- instructors discussing topics on
1965 by N. J. Zabusky and M. D. cies and amplitudes of the drive. waves, parametric excitation, reso-
Kruskal to describe a numerically Many research papers and a couple of nance, nonlinearity, and dispersion.
simulated interaction of propagating Ph.D. theses have been written on the
subject since
its discov-
ery.1-5 Recent Materials Needed:
work in the ◆ 12-in 40-W woofer
theory and ◆ Petroleum jelly
experiments
◆ Styrofoam (¼-in to 1-in thick)
of this soliton
can be found large enough to cover speaker
in the litera- ◆ Foam sealant (e.g., Polycel
ture.6-7 expanding foam used to fill
The non- holes and cracks)
propagating ◆ Food coloring
Fig. 1. Diagram of set-up. hydrodynam-
◆ Kodak Photo-Flo 200 chemical
ic soliton
◆ Plexiglas or glass trough (chan-
draws imme-
solitary waves that kept their own diate wonder from everyone who nel) with inner dimensions 38
identities after emerging from a colli- sees it. As we will show here, it is a cm long, 2.6 cm wide, 7 cm
sion (without changing their forms or simple matter to build a soliton gen- high
speed), analogous to elastic interac- erator, an apparatus that will soon ◆ Frequency generator and volt-
tions of particles. become an indispensable part of any
meter
The phrase “nonpropagating high-school or college collection.
hydrodynamic soliton” was em- ◆ Index cards (3 x 5 size)
Although the idea is not new, the low
ployed in 1983 by S. J. Putterman to cost is attractive. With a simple fre-
characterize the discovery of a local- quency generator,8 a little work and
ized pulse in a water trough (a rectan- time, and $50 or so, anyone can con- Construction of Shake Table
gular waveguide parametrically struct a setup to demonstrate this – Smear the inside of the speaker
excited) by I. Rudnick at UCLA. This extraordinary phenomenon. with petroleum jelly, brushing

498 THE PHYSICS TEACHER Vol. 36, Nov. 1998 Apparatus for Teaching Physics
 soliton is localized along the length
of the trough, while sloshing back
and forth across the trough. It is about
5 to 6 cm in length. The cross section
of the soliton matches a hyperbolic
secant profile.7 Peering at it from
above, it will look like a small pool in
the middle of the water, with its edges
extended up the sides of the trough.
From a side angle it will appear as a
steady series of small triangle-shaped
splashes against the edge of the
trough (see picture). The soliton will
continue indefinitely. It is possible to
reposition the soliton by gently blow-
Fig. 2. Soliton generator in operation. ing on it sideways.

Acknowledgment
the jelly to a thin coat that covers coloring is even throughout. The interest and assistance of Adam
the entire speaker (including its • Attach the speaker to the fre- Kaufman in the preparation of this
borders). quency generator, and also attach manuscript is greatly appreciated.
– Cut a hole (approximately 2-cm a voltmeter across the generator.
diameter) in the center of the The rms output should be some-
Styrofoam. where between 0.4 and 0.5 V. References
– Fill the speaker about half full • Place two dampers (made from 1. J. Wu, R. Keolian, and I.
with the expanding foam and folded index cards) into the Rudnick, Phys. Rev. Lett. 52,
cover the speaker with the trough about 3 cm in from the 1421 (1984).
Styrofoam, which should rest ends. These dampers should stop 2. A. Larraza and S. Putterman, J.
evenly across the top of the undesired waves. Fluid Mech., 148, 443 (1984).
3. J. W. Miles, J. Fluid Mech.,
speaker. • Set the frequency at 10.4 Hz.
148, 451 (1984).
– Wait three to four hours as the Standing waves should form 4. J. Wu, “Discovery of a
foam expands. You will see a moving in the long direction of Nonpropagating Hydrodynam-
small amount of foam protruding the trough. ic Soliton,” Ph.D. Thesis,
from the hole. • Remove any bubbles that may UCLA, June 1985.
– Cut off this excess bulb of foam have formed in the calm middle 5. B. C. Denardo, “Observations
so that the surface is completely portion. of Nonpropagating Oscillatory
smooth. Also trim the Styrofoam • Tilt the trough backwards (about Solitons,” Ph.D. Thesis,
around to fit the edges of the 45 degrees) to eliminate standing UCLA, January 1990. See ref-
speaker. waves and quickly allow the erences therein.
trough to rock back. This should 6. W. Chen, R. Wei, and B. Wang,
Experiment Phys. Lett. A108, 197 (1995).
generate waves moving in the
7. W. B. Wright, R. Budakian, and
• Place the glass trough (construct- width dimension. These waves S. J. Putterman, Phys. Rev. Lett.
ed to dimensions) on the shake should quickly form into the 76, 4528 (1996).
table. Add water in the trough to soliton. 8. PASCO’S function generator,
a depth of exactly 2 cm. • After the soliton is formed, lower for instance. PASCO scientific,
• Add approximately 10 ml of the frequency to around 10.2 Hz Roseville, CA 95678-9011;
food coloring (about half a cap- and gently remove the dampers. [email protected]; www.pasco.
ful) to the water to make the com
wave easier to see. Remarks
• Next add approximately 40 ml of While the trough is oscillating up
the photo chemical. This and down, only a small portion of the
decreases the surface tension. water pulsates up and down. The rest
Gently stir the solution until the of the water trough remains flat. The

Apparatus for Teaching Physics Vol. 36, Nov. 1998 THE PHYSICS TEACHER 499

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