We consider in detail the self-trapping of a soliton from a wave pulse that
passes from a defocussing region into a focussing one in a spatially
inhomogeneous nonlinear waveguide, described by a nonlinear Schrodinger
equation in which the dispersion coefficient changes its sign from normal to
anomalous. The model has direct applications to dispersion-decreasing nonlinear
optical fibers, and to natural waveguides for internal waves in the ocean. It
is found that, depending on the (conserved) energy and (nonconserved) mass of
the initial pulse, four qualitatively different outcomes of the pulse
transformation are possible: decay into radiation; self-trapping into a single
soliton; formation of a breather; and formation of a pair of counterpropagating
solitons. A corresponding chart is drawn on a parametric plane, which
demonstrates some unexpected features. In particular, it is found that any kind
of soliton(s) (including the breather and counterpropagating pair) eventually
decays into pure radiation with the increase of the energy, the initial mass
being kept constant. It is also noteworthy that a virtually direct transition
from a single soliton into a pair of symmetric counterpropagating ones seems
possible. An explanation for these features is proposed. In two cases when
analytical approximations apply, viz., a simple perturbation theory for broad
initial pulses, or the variational approximation for narrow ones, comparison
with the direct simulations shows reasonable agreement.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, 1 table. Phys. Rev. E, in pres