Observation of Wave-Packet Bifurcation in a Magneto-Plasma Column

Abstract
We report the observation of wave-packet splitting due to bifurcation as predicted by the modulation theory of nonlinear dispersive waves. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental observation of this effect. The observation was made on a glow discharge plasma column with a 200-G axial field surrounded by a conducting wave guide. This observation is of importance since it provides an assessment of the modulation theory.