title: The stability of solitons in biomembranes and nerves.
abstract: We examine the stability of a class of solitons, obtained from a generalization of the Boussinesq equation, which have been proposed to be relevant for pulse propagation in biomembranes and nerves. These solitons are found to be stable with respect to small-amplitude fluctuations. They emerge naturally from non-solitonic initial excitations and are robust in the presence of dissipation. Solitary waves pass through each other with only minor dissipation when their amplitude is small. Large-amplitude solitons fall apart into several pulses and small-amplitude noise upon collision when the maximum density of the membrane is limited by the density of the solid phase membrane.
authors.affiliation: Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. lautrup@nbi.dk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lautrup
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Appali
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heimburg
mesh_terms: D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008566:Membranes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids