Abstract
A coherent wave may be characterized by a single-valued phase function. As the wave propagates, its rays twist and separate, causing its Lagrangian manifold k(x) to develop pleats. Thereby the phase becomes multivalued, and the wave may be termed incoherent. This process is analyzed by studying the local spectral density, which changes from a line spectrum to a continuous spectrum.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
M. V. Berry, N. L. Balazs, M. Tabor, and A. Voros, “Quantum Maps,” Ann. Rhys. 122, 26 (1979).
S. W. McDonald, “Wave Dynamics of Regular and Chaotic Rays,” Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley (1933).
G. B. Whitham, Linear and Nonlinear Waves (John Wiley and Sons, 1974 ).
R. L. Dewar, “Lagrangian Derivation of the Action Conservation Theorem for Density Waves,” Astrophys. J. 174, 301 (1972).
A. N. Kaufman, “Poisson Structures of Nonlinear Plasma Dynamics,” Physica Scripta T2:2, 517 (1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1985 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kaufman, A.N., McDonald, S.W., Rosengaus, E. (1985). Transition of a Coherent Classical Wave to Phase Incoherence. In: Casati, G. (eds) Chaotic Behavior in Quantum Systems. NATO ASI Series, vol 120. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2443-0_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2443-0_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9485-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-2443-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive