Two-dimensional nonlinear-interferometer pattern analysis and decay of spirals

Akhmanov et al. [ JETP Lett.47, 707 ( 1988)] observed fascinating spatial patterns in their nonlinear-interferometer experiments. We report some results of our two-dimensional pattern analysis that showthat the spatial Fourier eigenmodes naturally give rise to filaments and other patterns of fully two-dimensional complexities and that spirals are likely to decay into petals as a result of the radial diffusion.