Polynomial invariants for the equation \(\frac{d^ 2}{d\xi ^ 2}v=\lambda (\xi)\frac{d}{d\xi}v+F(\xi,v)\) (Q1086408)

The author considers nonlinear differential equations of the form \((*)\quad v_{\xi \xi}=\lambda (\xi)v_{\xi}+F(\xi,v)\) and investigates the conditions under which these equations have first integrals of the form \((**)\quad v^ n_{\xi}+a_ 1(\xi,v)v_{\xi}^{n-1}+...+a_ n(\xi,v)=Ca_ 0(\xi,v),\) where C is a constant while \(a_ i(\xi,v)\) \((i=1,...,n)\) are certain functions. He shows first that a suitable transformation can always exist such that in the transformed equations (*) and (**) one has \(\lambda =0\), \(a_ 0=1\) and \(a_ 1=0\). All the functions F which permit cubic invariants (i.e. \(n=3\) in (**)) are obtained.