Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2605.09851

A Topological Soliton Model for Ball Lightning: Theory and Numerical Verification with the 3D Gross-Pitaevskii Equation

Zhe Li
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Ball lightning remains one of the most enigmatic atmospheric phenomena, characterized by its long lifetime, ability to penetrate materials, and stable spherical structure. Here we propose a novel theoretical framework interpreting ball lightning as a three-dimensional projection of a high-dimensional topological soliton. The system is described by a nonlinear Schrödinger equation with attractive interactions, stabilized by a non-zero topological charge. Through comprehensive numerical simulations of the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation, we verify the model's core predictions: (1) long-lived stability protected by topological invariants, (2) low transmission probability due to wavefunction orthogonality, and (3) energy and size scales consistent with observational data. The soliton lifetime $τ\sim \hbar/Γ$ naturally explains the observed second-scale durations. Our work provides a self-consistent physical explanation for ball lightning while offering concrete pathways for experimental realization of three-dimensional topological solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates and nonlinear optical systems. This theoretical framework gains additional support from recent experimental breakthroughs in laboratory generation of ball-lightning-like structures.

Explore related subjects

nlin.PSphysics.atom-ph

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Zhe Li. 2026-06-07. A Topological Soliton Model for Ball Lightning: Theory and Numerical Verification with the 3D Gross-Pitaevskii Equation. https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.09851

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Rolls and Snaking in a Swift-Hohenberg Equation with Non-smooth Nonlinearity

We study rolls and homoclinic snaking in a variation of the one-dimensional Swift-Hohenberg equation, whose standard forms are prototypical order-parameter models for pattern formation in the sciences. Motivated by classes of differential equation models that involve continuous non-smooth low order nonlinear terms, we replace the standard quadratic-cubic nonlinearity by $ν|u|^α-u^3$, $α\in [1,2]$ with $ν> 0$. In the vicinity of zero, for $α<2$ this nonlinearity falls outside the scope of classical Taylor expansion and bifurcation analysis. Our partially analytical and partially numerical results highlight that the non-smooth term modifies the criticality of pattern-forming bifurcations and alters the associated branches of solutions. In particular, $α\in(1,2)$ implies subcriticality of roll bifurcations for any $ν>0$. At $α=1$ differentiability is lost, which has a strong impact on the bifurcations of sign-changing rolls including the disappearance of homoclinic snaking. Homoclinic snaking thus emerges non-smoothly as $α$ increases from $α=1$, and persists when retaining an additional, e.g., quadratic term.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Vegetation Pattern Formation with an Energy-Mismatch Variational Closure

We study a vegetation-water model motivated by a canopy energy mismatch. Vegetation follows the gradient of a score that rewards biomass and penalizes the squared mismatch, while water obeys a quasi-steady balance. For a fixed interaction kernel, the linear growth rate about positive uniform vegetation splits into a fixed-water term and a water-feedback term. The fixed-water term is real, even in wavenumber, and equal to a constant minus a squared modulus, including when the kernel is asymmetric. All linear phase propagation enters through water feedback. A second-order expansion of the kernel gives a fourth-order vegetation equation, for which we derive finite-wavenumber growth criteria and corrections from state-dependent spatial coefficients. The short-wave damping and fastest-growing scales of this truncated model require separate justification as approximations to a specified kernel. A numerical dispersion example illustrates the growth and phase velocity of its linear modes. The model creates biomass on bare ground throughout the rainfall range illustrated here, including zero rainfall. At some smooth nonnegative states, the vegetation growth rate is negative where biomass vanishes. These features limit its ecological interpretation.

nlin.PS↗
arXiv2026

Two-Parameter Family of Nonlinear Dirac Equations With Scalar-Scalar plus Vector-Vector Interactions

We obtain exact solutions of the nonlinear Dirac equation in $1+1$ dimensions of the form $ψ(x,t) = e^{-iωt} ψ(x)$ for scalar-scalar (SS) plus vector-vector (VV) interaction with interaction Lagrangian given by $$L_{I} = \frac{g^2}{κ+1}[(\barψ ψ)^{κ+1} +\frac{1}{p} (\barψ γ_μψ\barψ γ^μ ψ)^{κ+1}]$$ where $p > 0$ but arbitrary otherwise. We look for solutions with $0 < ω< m$ where $ω, m$ are frequency and mass, respectively. We find solutions for all values of $ω$ in this range. We compute the charge $Q$ and the energy $E$ for each of the solitary wave solutions and explore the region in the ($p, κ$) parameter space in which solitary wave bound states exist (i.e., for which $E/Q < m$). We show that for all the cases while both $E$ and $Q$ depend on the coupling constant $g$, their ratio $E/Q$ is independent of $g$. We further find that in case $pκ\le 1$, the charge density for all the solitary waves have only single hump while for $p κ> 1$ there is a transition from double to single hump and we determine it as a function of $ω/m$. We notice that for all $p$ there is a transition at $κ=2$ in the behavior of $E/Q$ as a function of $ω$ which we speculate is related to the onset of instability of the solutions at $κ=2$. We obtain the nonrelativistic reduction of the two-parameter family to a non-relativistic modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) and discuss the stability of the single hump olitary waves in the domain of validity of the modified NLSE.

nlin.PS↗