Oscillation structure of localized perturbations in modulationally unstable media

We characterize the properties of the asymptotic stage of modulational instability arising from localized perturbations of a constant background, including the number and location of the individual peaks in the oscillation region. We show that, for long times, the solution tends to an ensemble of classical (i.e., sech-shaped) solitons of the focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation (as opposed to the various breatherlike solutions of the same equation with a nonzero background). We also confirm the robustness of the theoretical results by comparing the analytical predictions with careful numerical simulations with a variety of initial conditions, which confirm that the evolution of modulationally unstable media in the presence of localized initial perturbations is indeed described by the same asymptotic state.