An analytical technique for constructing multiple pulses is presented in this article; with it we uncover a homoclinic bifurcation through which multihumped solitary waves can be generated in systems of coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations. A method is then developed to determine the (in)stability of multiple pulses produced by this mechanism. The analysis is applied to two models that describe optical phenomena in dispersive quadratic and Kerr media, respectively. It sheds considerable light upon the characteristics that predispose multiple pulses arising in this class of systems to be unstable.

• Received 3 December 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.61.5886