Elucidating the FPU-paradox based on the dynamics of Kuznetzov–Ma breathers

Unlike Zabusky and Kruskal who exploited the Korteweg–de Vries traveling solitons to explain the FPU-recurrence phenomenon, we consider a more robust time periodic Kuznetzov–Ma breather to resolve the paradox. The nonlinear Schrödinger equation is derived from the equation of motion of [Formula: see text]-FPU chain, by using the method of multiple scales combined with a quasi-discreteness approximation. Modulational instability leads to the generation of a nonlinear wave of finite background, known as the Kuznetzov–Ma breather. The spatial localization and time periodic profile of the Kuznetzov–Ma breathers make it ideal in mimicking the FPU-recurrence phenomenon, as underscored by results of numerical simulations.