Generalization of Adomian polynomials to functions of several variables (Q1202481)

The first author developed the analytic method for approximate solution of nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations. To use this method, the solution \(u\) of an ordinary or partial differential equation is written as \(u=\sum^ \infty_{n=0}u_ n\) and a nonlinear term assumed to be an analytic function \(f(u)\) is represented by the series \(f(u)=\sum^ \infty_{n=0}A_ n(u_ 0,u_ 1,\dots,u_ n)\) of polynomials \(A_ n=\sum^ n_{k=0}c(k,n,u_ 1,u_ 2,\dots,u_ n)f^{(k)}(u_ 0)\) of order \(n\) with respect to \(u_ 1,u_ 2,\dots,u_ n\). Here \(u_ 0\) is a function involving initial (boundary) conditions, the forcing function and an integral operator, and \(f^{(k)}(u_ 0)\) means the derivative of \(f(u)\) of order \(k\) at \(u=u_ 0\). The method above, called the decomposition method, and its applications to problems of physics, engineering, economics and biology was presented in three books of the first author [Stochastic systems (1983; Zbl 0523.60056), Nonlinear stochastic operator equations (1986; Zbl 0609.60072) and Nonlinear stochastic systems theory and applications to physics (1989; Zbl 0659.93003)]. A review of some recent results concerning the application of the decomposition method to nonlinear equations was given by the first author in [Comput. Math. Appl. 21, No. 5, 101-127 (1991; Zbl 0732.35003)]. This paper deals with a generalization of the decomposition method to functions of several variables. The case of an analytic function \(f(u,v)\) of two variables \(u\) and \(v\) is considered in detail. Generalizations to analytic functions of three variables and applications to solve two and three coupled nonlinear differential equations are indicated.