Two-dimensional systems that arise from the Noether classification of Lagrangians on the line

Noether-like operators play an essential role in writing down the first integrals for Euler-Lagrange systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The classification of such operators is carried out with the help of analytic continuation of Lagrangians on the line. We obtain the classification of 5, 6 and 9 Noether-like operators for two-dimensional Lagrangian systems that arise from the submaximal and maximal dimensional Noether point symmetry classification of Lagrangians on the line. Cases in which the Noether-like operators are also Noether point symmetries for the systems of two ODEs are mentioned. In particular, the 8-dimensional maximal Noether algebra is remarkably obtained for the simplest system of the free particle equations in two dimensions from the 5-dimensional complex Noether algebra of the standard Lagrangian of the scalar free particle equation. We present the effectiveness of Noether-like operators for the determination of first integrals of systems of two nonlinear differential equations which arise from scalar complex Euler-Lagrange ODEs that admit Noether symmetry.     

Complex Lie symmetries for scalar second-order ordinary differential equations

A scalar complex ordinary differential equation can be considered as two coupled real partial differential equations, along with the constraint of the Cauchy–Riemann equations, which constitute a system of four equations for two unknown real functions of two real variables. It is shown that the resulting system possesses those real Lie symmetries that are obtained by splitting each complex Lie symmetry of the given complex ordinary differential equation. Further, if we restrict the complex function to be of a single real variable, then the complex ordinary differential equation yields a coupled system of two ordinary differential equations and their invariance can be obtained in a non-trivial way from the invariance of the restricted complex differential equation. Also, the use of a complex Lie symmetry reduces the order of the complex ordinary differential equation (restricted complex ordinary differential equation) by one, which in turn yields a reduction in the order by one of the system of partial differential equations (system of ordinary differential equations). In this paper, for simplicity, we investigate the case of scalar second-order ordinary differential equations. As a consequence, we obtain an extension of the Lie table for second-order equations with two symmetries.     

Classification of scalar third order ordinary differential equations linearizable via generalized contact transformations

Whereas Lie had linearized scalar second order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by point transformations, and later Chern had extended to the third order by using contact transformation, till recently no work had been done for higher order (or systems) of ODEs. Lie had found a unique class defined by the number of infinitesimal symmetry generators but the more general ODEs were not so classified. Recently, classifications of higher order and systems of ODEs were provided. In this paper we relate contact symmetries of scalar ODEs with point symmetries of reduced systems. We define a new type of transformation that builds upon this relation and obtain equivalence classes of scalar third order ODEs linearizable via these transformations. Four equivalence classes of such equations are seen to exist.     

Classification of Discrete Symmetries of Ordinary Differential Equations

A simple method for determining all discrete point symmetries of a given differential equation has been developed recently. The method uses constant matrices that represent inequivalent automorphisms of the Lie algebra spanned by the Lie point symmetry generators. It may be difficult to obtain these matrices if there are three or more independent generators, because the matrix elements are determined by a large system of algebraic equations. This paper contains a classification of the automorphisms that can occur in the calculation of discrete symmetries of scalar ordinary differential equations, up to equivalence under real point transformations. (The results are also applicable to many partial differential equations.) Where these automorphisms can be realized as point transformations, we list all inequivalent realizations. By using this classification as a look-up table, readers can calculate the discrete point symmetries of a given ordinary differential equation with very little effort.     

Non-local symmetries of first-order equations

It is shown how one can transform scalar first-order ordinarydifferential equations which admit non-local symmetries of theexponential type to integrable equations admitting canonicalexponential non-local symmetries. As examples we invoke theAbel equation of the second kind, the Riccati equation and naturalgeneralizations of these. Moreover, our method describes howa double reduction of order for a second-order ordinary differentialequation which admits a two-dimensional Lie algebra of generatorsof point symmetries can be affected if the second-order equationis first reduced in order once by a symmetry which does notspan an ideal of the two-dimensional Lie algebra.     

Conserved Forms derived from Symmetries

For first order scalar ordinary differential equations, a well–known result of Sophus Lie states that a Lie point symmetry can be used to construct an integrating factor and conversely. However, there exist higher order equations without Lie point symmetries that admit integrating factors or that are exact. We present a method based on λ-symmetries to calculate integrating factors. An example of a second order equation without Lie point symmetries illustrates how the method works in practice and how the computations that appear in other methods may be simplified. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Algebraic properties of first integrals for systems of second-order ordinary differential equations of maximal symmetry

Symmetries of the first integrals for scalar linear or linearizable secondorder ordinary di?erential equations (ODEs) have already been derived and shown to exhibit interesting properties. One of these is that the symmetry algebra sl(3, IR) is generated by the three triplets of symmetries of the functionally independent first integrals and its quotient. In this paper, we first investigate the Lie-like operators of the basic first integrals for the linearizable maximally symmetric system of two second-order ODEs represented by the free particle system, obtainable from a complex scalar free particle equation, by splitting the corresponding complex basic first integrals and its quotient as well as their associated symmetries. It is proved that the 14 Lie-like operators corresponding to the complex split of the symmetries of the functionally independent first integrals I₁, I₂ and their quotient I₂/I₁ are precisely the Lie-like operators corresponding to the complex split of the symmetries of the scalar free particle equation in the complex domain. Then, it is shown that there are distinguished four symmetries of each of the four basic integrals and their quotients of the two-dimensional free particle system which constitute four-dimensional Lie algebras which are isomorphic to each other and generate the full symmetry algebra sl(4, IR) of the free particle system. It is further shown that the (n + 2)-dimensional algebras of the n + 2 first integrals of the system of n free particle equations are isomorphic to each other and generate the full symmetry algebra sl(n + 2, IR) of the free particle system.     

一类非线性波动方程的势对称分类

先给出了含有一个任意函数的线性波动方程的古典和势对称的完全分类.然后,在此基础上给出了含有两个任意函数的一类非线性波动方程的两种情形势对称分类,得到了该方程的新势对称.在处理对称群分类问题的难点-求解确定方程组时我们提出了微分形式吴方法算法,克服了以往难于处理的困难.在整个计算过程中反复使用了吴方法,吴方法起到了关键的作用.     

Symmetry and singularity analyses of some equations of the fifth and sixth order in the spatial variable arising from the modelling of thin films

In the modelling of the flow of thin films higher-order derivatives in the spatial variable are introduced to model nonlinear effects. We examine nonlinear evolution equations of the fifth and sixth orders in the spatial variable from the viewpoint of Lie symmetry analysis. Values of the parameters which allow for a greater number of Lie point symmetries are identified. As the equations can be recast in potential form, we consider their potential symmetries. We also consider the singularity properties of the corresponding steady-state equations.     

Conditional symmetries and exact solutions of nonlinear reaction-diffusion systems with non-constant diffusivities

Q-conditional symmetries (nonclassical symmetries) for the general class of two-component reaction-diffusion systems with non-constant diffusivities are studied. Using the recently introduced notion of Q-conditional symmetries of the first type, an exhausted list of reaction-diffusion systems admitting such symmetry is derived. The results obtained for the reaction-diffusion systems are compared with those for the scalar reaction-diffusion equations. The symmetries found for reducing reaction-diffusion systems to two-dimensional dynamical systems, i.e., ODE systems, and finding exact solutions are applied. As result, multiparameter families of exact solutions in the explicit form for a nonlinear reaction-diffusion system with an arbitrary diffusivity are constructed. Finally, the application of the exact solutions for solving a biologically and physically motivated system is presented.     

Algorithmic computation of generalized symmetries of nonlinear evolution and lattice equations

A straightforward algorithm for the symbolic computation of generalized (higher‐order) symmetries of nonlinear evolution equations and lattice equations is presented. The scaling properties of the evolution or lattice equations are used to determine the polynomial form of the generalized symmetries. The coefficients of the symmetry can be found by solving a linear system. The method applies to polynomial systems of PDEs of first order in time and arbitrary order in one space variable. Likewise, lattices must be of first order in time but may involve arbitrary shifts in the discretized space variable. The algorithm is implemented in Mathematica and can be used to test the integrability of both nonlinear evolution equations and semi‐discrete lattice equations. With our Integrability Package, generalized symmetries are obtained for several well‐known systems of evolution and lattice equations. For PDEs and lattices with parameters, the code allows one to determine the conditions on these parameters so that a sequence of generalized symmetries exists. The existence of a sequence of such symmetries is a predictor for integrability. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Special conformal groups of a Riemannian manifold and Lie point symmetries of the nonlinear Poisson equation

We obtain a complete group classification of the Lie point symmetries of nonlinear Poisson equations on generic (pseudo) Riemannian manifolds M. Using this result we study their Noether symmetries and establish the respective conservation laws. It is shown that the projection of the Lie point symmetries on M are special subgroups of the conformal group of M. In particular, if the scalar curvature of M vanishes, the projection on M of the Lie point symmetry group of the Poisson equation with critical nonlinearity is the conformal group of the manifold. We illustrate our results by applying them to the Thurston geometries.     

Complete symmetry group and nonlocal symmetries for some two-dimensional evolution equations

The complete symmetry group of an 1+1 evolution equation of maximal symmetry has been demonstrated to be represented by the six-dimensional Lie algebra of point symmetries sl(2,R)s_⊕W, where W is the three-dimensional Heisenberg-Weyl algebra. We construct a complete symmetry group of a 1+2 evolution equation ut=(Fy(u)ux) for some functions F using the point symmetries admitted by the equation. The 1+2 equation is not completely specifiable by point symmetries alone for some specific functions F. We make use of Ansätze already reported by Myeni and Leach [S.M. Myeni, P.G.L. Leach, Nonlocal symmetries and complete symmetry groups of evolution equations, J. Nonlinear Math. Phys. 13 (2006) 377-392] which provide a route to the determination of the required generic nonlocal symmetries necessary to supplement the point symmetries for the complete specification of these 1+2 evolution equations. Further we find that taking some suitable linear combination of Lie point symmetries helps to optimise the procedure of specifying the equation. A general result concerning the number of symmetries required to form a complete symmetry group of evolution is presented in the Conclusion.     

一类组合方程的势对称分类

首先给出一类含有任意函数的变系数波动方程uxx=H(x)utt的古典对称及其势对称的完全分类,然后借助于这个波动方程的对称分类,系统讨论了含有两个任意函数的一类组合方程的势对称分类,所得结果确实扩充了原方程的对称.在计算过程中,采用微分形式的吴方法,微分特征列的程序包起到了重要作用.     

A new method to find series solutions of a nonlinear wave equation

We show that first-order approximate symmetries of a class of nonlinear wave equations contain Lie symmetries as particular cases. Then we present a new approach to find series solutions of the nonlinear wave equation which cannot be obtained by the standard Lie symmetry and approximate symmetry methods.     

On the equivalence of Lie symmetries and group representations

We consider families of linear, parabolic PDEs in n dimensions which possess Lie symmetry groups of dimension at least four. We identify the Lie symmetry groups of these equations with the (2n+1)-dimensional Heisenberg group and SL(2,R). We then show that for PDEs of this type, the Lie symmetries may be regarded as global projective representations of the symmetry group. We construct explicit intertwining operators between the symmetries and certain classical projective representations of the symmetry groups. Banach algebras of symmetries are introduced.     

Equations of Pseudo-Spherical Type (After S.S. Chern and K. Tenenblat)

This paper surveys some recent developments around the notion of a scalar partial differential equation describing pseudo-spherical surfaces due to Chern and Tenenblat. It is shown how conservation laws, pseudo-potentials, and linear problems arise naturally from geometric considerations, and it is also explained how Darboux and B?cklund transformations can be constructed starting from geometric data. Classification results for equations in this class are stated, and hierarchies of equations of pseudo-spherical type are introduced, providing a connection between differential geometry and the study of hierarchies of equations which are the integrability condition of sl(2, R)-valued linear problems. Furthermore, the existence of correspondences between any two solutions to equations of pseudo-spherical type is reviewed, and a correspondence theorem for hierarchies is also mentioned. As applications, an elementary immersion result for pseudo-spherical metrics arising from the Chern?CTenenblat construction is proven, and non-local symmetries of the Kaup?CKupershmidt, Sawada?CKotera, fifth order Korteweg?Cde Vries and Camassa?CHolm (CH) equation with non-zero critical wave speed are considered. It is shown that the existence of a non-local symmetry of a particular type is enough to single the first three equations out from a whole family of equations describing pseudo-spherical surfaces while, in the CH case, it is shown that it admits an infinite-dimensional Lie algebra of non-local symmetries which includes the Virasoro algebra.     

Nonclassical symmetries as special solutions of heir-equations

In Phys. D 78 (1994) 124, we have found that iterations of the nonclassical symmetries method give rise to new nonlinear equations, which inherit the Lie point symmetry algebra of the given equation. In the present paper, we show that special solutions of the right-order heir-equation correspond to classical and nonclassical symmetries of the original equations. An infinite number of nonlinear equations which possess nonclassical symmetries are derived.     

多孔介质方程的广义条件对称和精确解

运用广义条件对称方法对径向对称的多孔介质方程进行了对称约化.确定了允许二阶广义条件对称的方程形式,并给出了方程相应的不变解.