Mathematics

We prove existence of a special class of solutions to the (elliptic) Nonlinear Schroeodinger Equation $- \\\\epsilon^2 \\\\Delta \\\\psi + V(x) \\\\psi = |\\\\psi|^{p-1} \\\\psi$, on a manifold or in the Euclidean space. Here V represents the potential, p an exponent greater than 1 and $\\\\epsilon$ a small parameter corresponding to the Planck constant. As $\\\\epsilon$ tends to zero (namely in the semiclassical limit) we prove existence of complex-valued solutions which concentrate along closed curves, and whose phase is highly oscillatory. Physically, these solutions carry quantum-mechanical momentum along the limit curves. In this first part we provide the characterization of the limit set, with natural stationarity and non-degeneracy conditions. We then construct an approximate solution up to order $\\\\epsilon^2$, showing that these conditions appear naturally in a Taylor expansion of the equation in powers of $\\\\epsilon$. Based on these, an existence result will be proved in the second part.