WAVE-FIELD PHASE SINGULARITIES - NEAR-NEIGHBOR CORRELATIONS AND ANTICORRELATIONS

Near-neighbor phase singularities (vortices) in a random Gaussian wave field are shown to be extensively correlated or anticorrelated depending on the vortex parameter under consideration. In some instances these correlations extend out even to fourth-nearest neighbors. The correlations reflect an underlying, recently discovered universal sign principle and can be expected to be an important feature of all wave fields.