Reduction of bi-Hamiltonian systems and separation of variables: An example from the Boussinesq hierarchy (Q1586710)

Let \(M_3\) be the third-order differential operators \[ L= \partial^3_x +u(x) \partial_x+ V(x)\tag{1} \] and by \(L^{1/3}\) is denoted its third-order root, which is a pseudodifferential operator of the form \[ L^{1/3}= \partial+ \sum^\infty_{i=1} q_i(u,v)j^{-i} \tag{2} \] satisfying \((L^{1/3})^3=L\). Taking powers of \(L^{1/3}\), one can define an infinite family of commutative flows on \(M_3^p\) as \[ {\partial\over\partial t_p}L=\bigl[L, (L^{p/3})_+ \bigr] \tag{3} \] where \((\cdot)_+\) is the projection on the purely differential part of a pseudodifferential operator. Here the authors discuss the Boussinesq system (3) with the stationary time \(t_5\) within a general framework of stationary flows of \(n\)-Gelfand-Dickey hierarchies. Using the bi-Hamiltonian structure they provide a set of separation coordinates for the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equations.