Instability of Solitons in Imaginary Coupling Affine Toda Field Theory

Abstract

Affine Toda field theory with a pure imaginary coupling constant is a non-hermitian theory. Therefore the solutions of the equation of motion are complex. However, in $1+1$ dimensions it has many soliton solutions with remarkable properties, such as real total energy/momentum and mass. Several authors calculated quantum mass corrections of the solitons by claiming these solitons are stable. We show that there exists a large class of classical solutions which develops singularity after a finite lapse of time. Stability claims, in earlier literature, were made ignoring these solutions. Therefore we believe that a formulation of quantum theory on a firmer basis is necessary in general and for the quantum mass corrections of solitons, in particular.