Nonthermal fixed points and solitons in a one-dimensional Bose gas

Abstract

Single-particle momentum spectra for a dynamically evolving one-dimensional Bose gas are analysed in the semi-classical wave limit. Representing one of the simplest correlation functions these give information about possible universal scaling behaviour. Motivated by the previously discovered connection between (quasi-)topological field configurations, strong wave turbulence, and nonthermal fixed points of quantum field dynamics, soliton formation is studied with respect to the appearance of transient power-law spectra. A random-soliton model is developed to describe the spectra analytically, and the analogies and difference between the appearing power laws and those found in a field theory approach to strong wave turbulence are discussed. The results open a view on solitary wave dynamics from the point of view of critical phenomena far from thermal equilibrium and on a possibility to study this dynamics in experiment without the necessity of detecting solitons in situ.