Pole dynamics for elliptic solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries equation (Q1586064)

Any meromorphic solution of the KdV equation \(u_t= 6uu_x+ u_{xxx}\) which is doubly periodic in \(x\) (i.e., the elliptic soultion) is of the form \[ u(x,t)= -2 \sum^N_{i=1} \wp(x- x_i(t)) \] with all \(x_i(t)\) distinct except at isolated instants of time, where \(\wp(z)= \wp(z; \omega_1, \omega_2)\) is the Weierstrass functions (with periodics \(\omega_1\), \(\omega_2\)). The dynamics of the poles are governed by the constrained dynamical system \[ {dx_i\over dt}= 12 \sum\wp(x_i- x_j),\quad \wp'(x_i- x_j)= 0\qquad (i\neq j). \] Any number \(N\neq 2\) is allowed. If \(|\omega_1/\omega_2|\) is large enough and \(N\geq 4\), then nonequivalent configurations satisfying the constraint exist that do not flow into each other. The \(x_i\) are allowed to coincide only in triangular numbers: if some of the \(x_i\) coincide at \(t= t_c\), then \({g_i(g_i+ 1)\over 2}\) of them coincide at \(t= t_c\) and \[ u(x, t_c)= -2\sum^M_{i=0} {g_i(g_i+ 1)\over 2} \wp(x- \alpha_i) \] for some \(M\) (where \(N=\sum^M_{i= 1} {g_i(g_i- 1)\over 2}\)). Explicit solutions with \(N=4\) are presented with figures displaying the motion of poles \(x_i(t)\) and the shape of the solution \(u(x,t)\).