Discrete instability in nonlinear lattices

Abstract

The discrete multiscale analysis for boundary value problems in nonlinear discrete systems leads to a first order discrete modulational instability above a threshold amplitude for wave numbers beyond the zero of group velocity dispersion. Applied to the electrical lattice [Phys. Rev. E, 51 (1995) 6127 ], this acurately explains the experimental instability at wave numbers beyond 1.25 . The theory is also briefly discussed for sine-Gordon and Toda lattices.