Eigenfunctions and eigenvalues for a scalar Riemann-Hilbert problem associated to inverse scattering (Q1581681)

The paper is devoted to the construction of a complete set of eigenfunctions associated to the scalar Riemann-Hilbert (RH) formalism for some solvable nonlinear evaluation equation. The main analysis concentrates on the time-dependent Schrödinger problem which is associated to solutions of the KdV equation and time-dependent Schrödinger problem which is associated to lumps of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation. The authors derive nonstandard scalar products and orthogonality relations and prove the completeness formula by means of the RH formalism. Using this, they develop a regular perturbation theory from the integral representation of the linear eigenvalue problem and calculate variational derivatives of spectral data in the absence of bifurcations of new eigenvalues. When the integral representation becomes singular, they find the conditions for a new eigenvalue to emerge from the continuous spectrum. The authors classify these bifurcations into two general types.