Gross–Pitaevskii solitary wave

For the normalized conservative equation $-2i{\psi }_t={\nabla }^2\psi +(1-|\psi {|}^2)\psi$, a localized disturbance translating at speed $v$ obeys ${\nabla }^2\psi +(1-|\psi {|}^2)\psi -2iv{\psi }_x=0$ in translating coordinates. Its complex-field boundary is $\psi \to 1$. This permits zero-net-winding vortex pairs, but excludes a lone quantum vortex. The usual subsonic far field has $\psi -1=O(r^{-1})$ in two dimensions.

With $E=\frac{1}{2}\int [|\nabla \psi {|}^2+\frac{1}{2}(1-|\psi {|}^2{)}^2]$ and the renormalized momentum of a condensate, a Gross–Pitaevskii solitary wave is a critical point of $E-v{p}_x$. Along a differentiable solution family, fixed bulk normalization and vanishing variation boundary terms give $dE/d\lambda =vd{p}_x/d\lambda$. Therefore $dE/d{p}_x=v$ wherever $d{p}_x/d\lambda \ne 0$. At a cusp or turning point the parametrized identity is the appropriate statement; one must not assume a globally single-valued dispersion branch.

For a condensate with uniform bulk complex field one, its convergent localized momentum isThe subtraction removes the uniform-background phase-gradient contribution. If $\psi -1=O(r^{-1})$ and $\nabla \psi =O(r^{-2})$, its integrand is $O(r^{-3})$, integrable in two dimensions. Under decaying variations its functional derivative is $\delta p_j/\delta {\psi }^{\ast }=-i{\partial }_j\psi$; the subtraction is a boundary correction and does not change the bulk equation.