INELASTIC COLLISION OF KINKS AND ANTIKINKS IN THE ϕ6 SYSTEM

Abstract

In this paper, we study the kink–antikink interaction in the ϕ6 system. This system has soliton-like solutions which fall into two categories with opposite topological charges. We consider the interaction of a kink solution with an antikink at different incident energies (velocities) and observe the outcome. In general, the collision is inelastic. There are two critical velocities v1 and v2 in the system, between which there are enormous number of narrow scattering windows. We study the fractal-like structure of the windows. Below v1 the pair are absorbed into each other. Above v1 the pair get separated after the inelastic interaction. Finally, we obtain the internal modes of the kink in this system and address its relevance to the interaction behavior.