A one-parameter family of hamiltonian structures for the KP hierarchy and a continuous deformation of the nonlinear WKP algebra

The KP hierarchy is hamiltonian relative to a one-parameter family of Poisson structures obtained from a generalized Adler map in the space of formal pseudodifferential symbols with noninteger powers. The resulting W-algebra is a one-parameter deformation of W_KP admitting a central extension for generic values of the parameter, reducing naturally to W_n for special values of the parameter, and contracting to the centrally extended W₁₊, W and further truncations. In the classical limit, all algebras in the one-parameter family are equivalent and isomorphic tow_KP. The reduction induced by setting the spin-one field to zero yields a one-parameter deformation of which contracts to a new nonlinear algebra of the W-type.Address after October 1993: Queen Mary and Westfield College, UK