Zakharov-Shabat spectral transform on the half-line

Abstract

The Zakharov–Shabat inverse spectral problem is constructed for a potential with support on the half-line and with a boundary value at the origin. This prescribed value is shown to produce a Jost solution with an essential singularity at large values of the spectral parameter; this requires particular attention when solving the related Hilbert boundary value problem. The method is then used to illustrate the sine-Gordon equation (in the light cone) and is discussed using a singular limit of the stimulated Raman scattering equations.