Variational approach to multidimensional solitons in highly nonlocal nonlinear media

Abstract

We apply the variational approach to solitons in highly nonlocal nonlinear media in $D=1,2,3$ dimensions. We compare results obtained by the variational approach with those obtained in the accessible soliton approximation, by considering the same system of equations in the same spatial region and under the same boundary conditions. To assess the accuracy of these approximations, we also compare them with the numerical solution of the equations. We discover that the variational highly nonlocal approximation provides more accurate results and as such is more appropriate solution than the accessible soliton approximation.