Hyper-Kähler hierarchies and their twistor theory (Q5940507)

The present paper considers the anti-self-dual vacuum equations (ASDVE) in four complex dimensions. In the real case these are the equations of a hyper-Kähler metric. It is known that both ASDVE and ASDYM (anti-self-dual Yang-Mills) equations admit a twistor description. Moreover, the ASDYM may be considered from the point of view of integrable system theory. In particular they admit a Lax pair formulation, hierarchy and recursion operator [see e.g. \textit{L. Mason} and \textit{L. Woodhause}, Integrability, self-duality and twistor theory (1996; Zbl 0856.58002)]. There is also a Lax pair formulation in the nonlinear graviton construction of R. Penrose treating ASDVE. In the article under review the authors construct the hierarchy and recursion operator for ASDVE by analogy to the ASDYM case. They apply the definition to the special case of Sparling-Tod metric. Moreover they construct an extended space time with extra dimensions corresponding to the parameters of the higher flows of the hierarchy. There is also a twistor interpretation.