Inverse scattering transform for the vector nonlinear Schrödinger equation with non-vanishing boundary conditions

The inverse scattering transform for the vector defocusing nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with nonvanishing boundary values at infinity is constructed. The direct scattering problem is formulated on a two-sheeted covering of the complex plane. Two out of the six Jost eigenfunctions, however, do not admit an analytic extension on either sheet of the Riemann surface. Therefore, a suitable modification of both the direct and the inverse problem formulations is necessary. On the direct side, this is accomplished by constructing two additional analytic eigenfunctions which are expressed in terms of the adjoint eigenfunctions. The discrete spectrum, bound states and symmetries of the direct problem are then discussed. In the most general situation, a discrete eigenvalue corresponds to a quartet of zeros (poles) of certain scattering data. The inverse scattering problem is formulated in terms of a generalized Riemann-Hilbert (RH) problem in the upper/lower half planes of a suitable uniformization variable. Special soliton solutions are constructed from the poles in the RH problem, and include dark-dark soliton solutions, which have dark solitonic behavior in both components, as well as dark-bright soliton solutions, which have one dark and one bright component. The linear limit is obtained from the RH problem and is shown to correspond to the Fourier transform solution obtained from the linearized vector NLS system.