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We consider the nonlinear Dirac equation, also known as the Soler model: $i\p\sb t\psi=-i\alpha \cdot \nabla \psi+m \beta \psi-f(\psi\sp\ast \beta \psi) \beta \psi$, $\psi(x,t)\in\mathbb{C}^{N}$, $x\in\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\le 3$, $f\in C\sp 2(\R)$, where $\alpha_j$, $j = 1,...,n$, and $\beta$ are $N \times N$ Hermitian matrices which satisfy $\alpha_j^2=\beta^2=I_N$, $\alpha_j \beta+\beta \alpha_j=0$, $\alpha_j \alpha_k + \alpha_k \alpha_j =2 \delta_{jk} I_N$. We study the spectral stability of solitary wave solutions $\phi(x)e^{-i\omega t}$. We study the point spectrum of linearizations at solitary waves that bifurcate from NLS solitary waves in the limit $\omega\to m$, proving that if $k>2/n$, then one positive and one negative eigenvalue are present in the spectrum of the linearizations at these solitary waves with $\omega$ sufficiently close to $m$, so that these solitary waves are linearly unstable. The approach is based on applying the Rayleigh--Schroedinger perturbation theory to the nonrelativistic limit of the equation. The results are in formal agreement with the Vakhitov--Kolokolov stability criterion., Comment: 17 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1203.3859 (an earlier 1D version)

We consider the nonlinear Dirac equation in one dimension, also known as the Soler model in (1+1) dimensions, or the massive Gross-Neveu model: $i\partial_t\psi=-i\alpha\partial_x\psi+m\beta\psi-f(\psi^\ast\beta\psi)\beta\psi$, $\psi(x,t)\in\C^2$, $x\in\R$, $f\in C^\infty(\R)$, $m>0$, where $\alpha$, $\beta$ are $2\times 2$ hermitian matrices which satisfy $\alpha^2=\beta^2=1$, $\alpha\beta+\beta\alpha=0$. We study the spectral stability of solitary wave solutions $\phi_\omega(x)e^{-i\omega t}$. More precisely, we study the presence of point eigenvalues in the spectra of linearizations at solitary waves of arbitrarily small amplitude, in the limit $\omega\to m$. We prove that if $f(s)=s^k+O(s^{k+1})$, $k\in\N$, with $k\ge 3$, then one positive and one negative eigenvalue are present in the spectrum of linearizations at all solitary waves with $\omega$ sufficiently close to $m$. This shows that all solitary waves of sufficiently small amplitude are linearly unstable. The approach is based on applying the Rayleigh-Schr\"odinger perturbation theory to the nonrelativistic limit of the equation. The results are in formal agreement with the Vakhitov-Kolokolov stability criterion. Let us mention a similar independent result [Guan-Gustafson] on linear instability for the nonlinear Dirac equation in three dimensions, with cubic nonlinearity (this result is also in formal agreement with the Vakhitov-Kolokolov stability criterion)., Comment: 15 pages

We consider the spectral stability of solitary wave solutions \phi(x)e^{-i\omega t} to the nonlinear Dirac equation in any dimension. This equation is well-known to theoretical physicists as the Soler model (or, in one dimension, the Gross-Neveu model), and attracted much attention for many years. We show that, generically, at the values of where the Vakhitov-Kolokolov stability criterion breaks down, a pair of real eigenvalues (one positive, one negative) appears from the origin, leading to the linear instability of corresponding solitary waves. As an auxiliary result, we state the virial identities ("Pohozhaev theorem") for the nonlinear Dirac equation. We also show that \pm 2\omega i are the eigenvalues of the nonlinear Dirac equation linearized at \phi(x)e^{-i\omega t}, which are embedded into the continuous spectrum for |\omega| > m/3. This result holds for the nonlinear Dirac equation with any nonlinearity of the Soler form ("scalar-scalar interaction") and in any dimension., Comment: 13 pages, minor corrections