Tau functions of \((n, 1)\) curves and soliton solutions on nonzero constant backgrounds (Q2044428)

The Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) hierarchy is defined by means of infinitely many time-like parameters \((t_1,t_2,\dots)\), and can be reformulated as a family of Lax equations (compatibility conditions) for the corresponding Lax pair, for each \(t_i, i=1,2,\ldots\). The corresponding solutions, i.e., the wave functions appearing in these conditions, are the Baker-Akhiezer functions, which also depend on a point of an infinite-dimensional Grassmanian manifold, the Sato Grassmannian. The main object of Sato's theory of the KP hierarchy is the so-called \(\tau\)-function, which is related to the wave-function via a key theorem which states that given a solution to the linear problem, i.e., the wave-function, one can reconstruct the \(\tau\)-funcion. The converse is also true: given a \(\tau\)-function one can reconstruct the wave-function and thus find a solution to the KP hierarchy. The \(\tau\)-function induces Plücker coordinates for a point on the Sato Grassmannian, and the solution space for the KP hierarchy is the Sato Grassmanian. The author considers the KP hierarchy corresponding to the \((n,1)\)-curve (which is a particular case of the more general algebraic \((n,s)\)-curve defined by : \(y^n -x^s - a_{ij} y^i x^j =0\), considered in more details in previous works of the author [Asian J. Math. 14, No. 2, 175--212 (2010; Zbl 1214.14028); Int. Math. Res. Not. 2010, No. 3, 373--394 (2010; Zbl 1197.14049); SIGMA, Symmetry Integrability Geom. Methods Appl. 15, Paper 009, 18 p. (2019; Zbl 1414.37031)]), and constructs a basis (i.e., a frame) for a point on the Sato Grassmannian. The main results are contained in two theorems formulated in Section 3, giving the explicit form and the expansion of \(\tau\)-functions, which turn out to be exponentials of a quadratic form with respect to \(t_i\). The remaining sections contain detailed proofs and discussions of the main theorems.