Pseudo-spherical surfaces and integrability of evolution equations (Q1268572)

An evolution equation \(u_t= F(x,t,u,u_x,\dots, u_{x^k})\) is said to describe pseudospherical surfaces if it is a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of functions \(f_{\alpha\beta}\), \(\alpha= 1,2,3\); \(\beta= 1,2\), depending on \(x\), \(t\), \(u\) and its derivatives, such that one-forms \(\omega_\alpha= f_{\alpha_1} dx+ f_{\alpha_2}dt\) satisfy the structure equations of a surface of constant Gaussian curvature equal to \(-1\), with metric \(\omega^2_1+ \omega^2_2\) and connection one-form \(\omega_3\). On the other hand, an equation is said to be formally integrable if it has a formal symmetry of infinite rank. The author shows that every second-order equation \(u_t= F(x,t,u, u_x,u_{xx})\) which is formally integrable, describes a one-parameter family of pseudospherical surfaces. To this end, he finds explicitly the pseudospherical structures associated with each of the four second-order equations appearing in the exhaustive list of formally integrable equations available in literature. It is shown that this result cannot be extended to third-order formally integrable equations. This fact notwithstanding, a special case of the equation of the form \[ u_t= u^{-3} u_{xxx}+ a_2(x, u,u_x) u^2_{xx}+ a_1(x, u, u_x)u_{xx}+ a_0(x,u,u_x) \] is considered, and every formally integrable equation of this form is proved to describe a one-parameter family of pseudospherical surfaces. Finally, several popular nonlinear equations, including the Harry-Dym, cylindrical KdV and the Calogero-Degasperis family are shown to describe pseudospherical surfaces.