title: Hydrodynamics of periodic breathers.
abstract: We report the first experimental observation of periodic breathers in water waves. One of them is Kuznetsov-Ma soliton and another one is Akhmediev breather. Each of them is a localized solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS) on a constant background. The difference is in localization which is either in time or in space. The experiments conducted in a water wave flume show results that are in good agreement with the NLS theory. Basic features of the breathers that include the maximal amplitudes and spectra are consistent with the theoretical predictions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ocean Engineering Science and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia achabchoub@swin.edu.au.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chabchoub
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 6303 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kibler
authors.affiliation: Institut FEMTO-ST, SUMR 6174 CNRS- Université de Franche-Comté, 25030 Besançon, France.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dudley
authors.affiliation: Optical Sciences Group, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akhmediev
keywords: Akhmediev breather; Kuznetsov–Ma soliton; nonlinear Schrödinger equation; rogue waves