Dynamics of solitonlike pulse propagation in birefringent optical fibers.

Integrated Stokes parameters are used to describe solitonlike pulse propagation and its state of polarization in birefringent optical fibers. A qualitative analysis on the Poincare sphere is developed to describe the evolution of the state of polarization of the soliton as a whole. Simple analytic equations describing the pulse evolution are derived in the approximation of the average profile. It is shown that two qualitatively different regimes of propagation are possible, depending on the material parameters and on the initial conditions. The approach takes into account the radiation processes. The results of the analytical approach are compared with exact numerical calculations.