Briggs-Bers criterion

A criterion for absolute wave-packet instability based on analytic continuation of the spatial roots of a dispersion relation. Start the temporal inversion contour above the spectrum, then lower it while deforming the spatial contour. A spatial pinch point occurs when branches originating in opposite spatial half-planes obstruct that deformation. A double root $D=D_k=0$ is only an algebraic candidate. The opposite-half-plane condition is stated in the primary study doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.195, section 4.2.

For $\omega (k)=i\alpha k^2-\beta k^3-i\gamma$, real-wavenumber growth is $\mathrm{Re}\alpha k^2-\mathrm{Im}\beta k^3-\mathrm{Re}\gamma$. A nonzero cubic coefficient is unbounded above on one side; after it vanishes, a positive quadratic coefficient is unbounded above on both sides. The displayed conditions are therefore necessary and sufficient for a finite temporal upper bound, which is then $-\mathrm{Re}\gamma$. The bound permits the initial causal temporal contour required by the Briggs-Bers criterion.

For the whole-line equation $A_t+a_1{A}_{xx}+a_2{A}_{xxxx}+a_{3}A=0$ with $\mathrm{Re}{a}_2>0$, the dispersion relation is $s=a_1{k}^2-a_2{k}^4-a_3$. The temporal Laplace transform of the impulse response at zero is the real-k integral of $[s+a_3-a_1{k}^2+a_2{k}^4{]}^{-1}/(2\pi )$. Factor the denominator as $a_2(k^2+{\kappa }_1^2)(k^2+{\kappa }_2^2)$ with $\mathrm{Re}{\kappa }_j>0$ for large $\mathrm{Re}s$. Partial fractions give the displayed resolvent. Square-root sheets are chosen by continuation from this causal large-s region; choosing roots independently can introduce false spatial pinch points.

Put $z=a_1/\sqrt{a_2}$ using the root with positive real part. The additional resolvent singularity at $s+a_3=z^2/4$ lies on the physical square-root sheet only when $\mathrm{Re}z>0$; otherwise the apparent saddle is on the other sheet. The singularity at $s=-a_3$ remains, including a quartic degeneracy when $a_1=0$. The rightmost physical singularity determines the exponential fixed-position growth rate. Compare it with the temporal maximum $-\mathrm{Re}{a}_3+\max (\mathrm{Re}{a}_1,0{)}^2/(4\mathrm{Re}{a}_2)$ to distinguish absolute wave-packet instability from convective wave-packet instability. Equality cases require their algebraic prefactors.

A collision of spatial branches which pinches the spatial inversion contour as the temporal contour is lowered from above all singularities. The branches must originate on opposite sides of the spatial contour. A collision of two upper-half-plane branches or two lower-half-plane branches can solve the double-root equations without causing absolute wave-packet instability.

For these constants, every real-wavenumber growth rate is $-k^2-1/10<0$. The real-contour impulse integral decays with envelope $e^{-t/10}{t}^{-1/2}$ at fixed position. Yet the stationary candidate $k=-2i/3$ has $\mathrm{Im}\omega =4/27-1/10>0$. It cannot be a contributing spatial pinch point; otherwise it would contradict the real-contour growth bound. This explicit example shows why solving the algebraic saddle equations is insufficient for absolute wave-packet instability.

The real dispersion above is temporally stable for every real $k$, but its analytic continuation has stationary points at $k=\pm i$ with $\omega =i/2$. Writing $\omega =i\Omega$ gives $k^2=-1\pm \sqrt{1/2-\Omega }$; as $\Omega$ decreases to $1/2$, both branches at $+i$ approach from the upper half-plane and both at $-i$ from the lower. These are not spatial pinch points. This provides a concrete counterexample to treating growing algebraic double roots as sufficient for absolute wave-packet instability.