The specific features of self-action of high-power laser radiation propagating through a fully ionised cold plasma and the development of modulation instability

The features of the propagation of soliton-like light beams through a fully ionised two-dimensional cold plasma are considered employing analytical an d numerical methods commonly used in nonlinear optics. Exact soliton profil es for the lower and upper soliton branches are found numerically in the pr esence of optical bistability. It is shown that the interaction of incohere nt soliton-like laser beams in such a plasma may result both in the destruc tion of one of the beams and in production of new ones. The regime of the m odulation instability of a plane wave propagating through a cold laser-prod uced plasma is studied.