A variable-coefficient manakov model and its explicit solutions through the generalized dressing method

For waves in inhomogeneous media, variable-coefficient evolution equations can arise. It is known that the Manakov model can derive two models for propagation in uniform optical fibers. If the fiber is nonuniform, one would expect that the coefficients in the model are not constants. We present a variable-coefficient Manakov model and derive its Lax pair using the generalized dressing method. As an application of the generalized dressing method, soliton solutions of the variable-coefficient Manakov model are obtained. © 2013 Chinese Physical Society and IOP Publishing Ltd.