SOLITON DYNAMICS IN A THERMALIZED MOLECULAR CHAIN WITH TRANSVERSAL DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM

A numerical investigation of the dynamics of acoustic solitons in an a nharmonic molecular chain with thermalized longitudinal and transversa l vibrations is presented. It is shown that acoustic solitons can serv e as an effective energy carrier only if the frequency spectrum of the transversal vibrations of the molecules (optical phonons) of the chai n is located higher than the spectrum of longitudinal vibrations (acou stic phonons). Soliton interaction with the low-frequency transversal vibrations causes its quick degradation.