title: Optical shock waves in nonlinear dispersive amplifying media.
abstract: We show that optical shock-wave solutions are possible in nonlinear dispersive amplifying media that exhibit a frequency-dependent gain and background loss. These shock-wave domains exist at lasing threshold and are permitted in both the normal and the anomalous dispersive regions.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Christodoulides
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Carvalho