Light caustics of hydrodynamic solitons illuminated by a laser beam

摘要

Properties of caustics of plane curves are used for interpretation of optical experiments with hydrodynamic solitons in a one-dimensional water channel. The water-free surface acts as a curvilinear plane mirror for incoming Light beams. Experiments with single solitons and with couples of colliding solitons are presented and discussed within the framework of geometrical optics. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.