Abstract
We report an experimental study of the secondary modulational instability of a one-dimensional nonlinear traveling wave in a long bounded channel. Two qualitatively different instability regimes involving fronts of spatiotemporal defects are linked to the convective and absolute nature of the instability. Both transitions appear to be subcritical. The spatiotemporal defects control the global mode structure.
- Received 6 September 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.134501
©2002 American Physical Society