Backlund transformations and Darboux integrability for nonlinear wave equations

Jeanne Clelland
Tuesday, October 16
Differential Equations, Geometry, and Topology Seminar
1:00 pm, Mathematics 350
We prove that a second-order Monge-Ampere equation for one function of two variables is connected to the flat wave equations by a Backlund transformation if and only if it is integrable by the method of Darboux at second order. The proof relies on a geometric formulation of a Backlund transformation as a certain type of exterior differential system and its associated differential invariants. This is joint work with Thomas Ivey of the College of Charleston.

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