  We review research on the role of nonlinear coherent phenomena (e.g breathers
and kinks) in the formation linear decorations in mica crystal. The work is
based on a new model for the motion of the mica hexagonal K layer, which allows
displacement of the atoms from the unit cell. With a simple piece-wise
polynomial inter-particle potential, we verify the existence of localized
long-lived breathers in an idealized lattice at 0K. Moreover, our model allows
us to observe long-lived localized kinks. We study the interactions of such
localized modes along a lattice direction, and in addition demonstrate fully
two dimensional scattering of such pulses for the first time. For large
interatomic forces we observe a spreading horseshoe-shaped wave, a type of
shock wave but with a breather profile.
