We study the effect of nonlocality on some dynamical properties of a self-focusing nonlocal nonlinear Schrödinger system. Using a combination of moment techniques, time dependent variational methods, and numerical simulations, we present evidence in support of the hypothesis that nonlocal attractively interacting condensates cannot collapse under very general forms of the interaction. Instead there appear oscillations of the wave packet with a localized component whose size is of the order of the range of interactions. We discuss the implications of the results to collapse phenomena in Bose-Einstein condensates.

• Received 26 January 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.62.4300