ELECTROMAGNETIC-WAVES DYNAMICS IN A NONLINEAR DIELECTRIC SLAB BY THE METHOD OF CHARACTERISTICS

Electromagnetic shock waves are a relatively unexplored field. This pa per considers their propagation in the case of a dielectric slab. At f irst we examine the mathematical problem relating to the physical inte rpretation of the uniqueness of the solution. A link between uniquenes s and irreversibility is pointed out as in the case of shock waves in gasdynamics. Then we illustrate an algorithm, based on the concept of characteristics curves, which gives a very interesting performance.