The Asymptotic Solution of the Korteweg-deVries Equation in the Absence of Solitons

The asymptotic solution of the Korteweg-de Vries equation u_τ + ?u_xxx + 2uu_x = 0 for initial conditions from which no solitons evolve is obtained as a slowly varying similarity solution of the form τ^?2/3(V_z?V₂, where V = V(z/τ) and z = τ^?1/3x. The results are consistent with, but go somewhat beyond, those recently obtained by Ablowitz and Segur 2] through a rather different approach.