gjphw@iham1.UUCP (01/22/85)
In these discussions concerning nonlinear phenomena, I have been
puzzled by the association between nonlinear and non-local. For
example, it is my understanding that phenomena such as solitons, which
are waves in nonlinear media, are quite localized. Conversely, the
spatial extent of a particle wavefunction, which leads to the Aspect
experiment that refutes hidden variable theories, arises from a linear
Schroedinger equation.
In other words, it does not appear that nonlinear phenomena are
necessarily non-local, and non-local phenomena are not necessary
nonlinear in origin. Or, have I missed this issue entirely?
Another example of nonlinear phenomena occurs in systems with memory
(which might be considered non-local in time). This is better known
as hysteresis (e.g., magnetization in iron).
--
Patrick Wyant
AT&T Bell Laboratories (Naperville, IL)
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