Natural connections for semi-Hamiltonian systems: the case of the \({\varepsilon}\)-system (Q543543)

Natural connections for semi-Hamiltonian systems are considered. An \(F\)-manifold with a connection satisfying a suitable compatibility condition with the product is constructed. The first result of this paper is the existence of a connection \(\nabla\) canonically associated with a given semi-Hamiltonian system called the natural connection of the system. If the connection is flat then one can construct by recurrence the integrable flows. The resulting hierarchy coincides with the Dubrovin principal hierarchy if the natural connection is the Levi-Civita connection of a metric which is invariant with respect to the product. In the second half of the paper, the natural connection of the so-called \(\varepsilon\)-system is studied in detail. The corresponding connection turns out to be flat, and the flat coordinates give rise to additional chains of commuting flows. Finally, the associated principal hierarchy in the cases \(n=2\) and \(n=3\) is explicitly constructed. Note that case \(n=3\) is the first example of a principal hierarchy associated with an \(F\)-manifold with a compatible flat connection which is not the Levi-Civita connection of an invariant metric.