On the relationship between the invariance and conservation laws of differential equations (Q1728859)

Summary: In this paper, we highlight the complimentary nature of the results of \textit{S. C. Anco} and \textit{G. Bluman} [``Direct construction method for conservation laws of partial differential equations Part I: Examples of conservation law classifications'', Eur. J. Appl. Math. 13, No. 5, 545--566 (2002; \url{doi:10.1017/S095679250100465X}); ibid. 13, No. 5, 567--585 (2002; \url{doi:10.1017/S0956792501004661})] and \textit{N. H. Ibragimov} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 333, No. 1, 311--328 (2007; Zbl 1160.35008)] in the construction of conservation laws that whilst the former establishes the role of multipliers, the latter presents a formal procedure to determine the flows. Secondly, we show that there is an underlying relationship between the symmetries and conservation laws in a general setting, extending the results of \textit{A. H. Kara} and \textit{F. M. Mahomed} [Int. J. Theor. Phys. 39, No. 1, 23--40 (2000; Zbl 0962.35009)]. The results take apparently differently forms for point symmetry generators and higher-order symmetries. Similarities exist, to some extent, with a previously established result relating symmetries and multipliers of a differential equation. A number of examples are presented.