The inverse problem of the calculus of variations for sixth- and eighth-order scalar ordinary differential equations (Q5946229)

The author investigates the existence of a nondegenerate Lagrangian \(L\) of order \(n\) for a given scalar ordinary differential equation of order \(2n\) \[ \frac{\partial^{2n}u}{\partial x^{2n}}=f\Biggl(x,u,\dots , \frac{\partial^{2n-1}u}{\partial x^{2n-1}}\Biggr), \] where \(f\) is a smooth function. A necessary and sufficient condition is proved. The space of all nondegenerate Lagrangians is at most 1-dimensional. The cases \(n=3\) and \(n=4\) are completely characterized. The relationship between the classical infinitesimal symmetry algebra of the Euler-Lagrange equation of order \(2n\) and the infinitesimal divergence symmetry algebra of the corresponding Lagrangians of order \(n\) is determined. This is a generalization of a result of \textit{M. E. Fels} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 384, No. 12, 5007-5029 (1996; Zbl 0879.34016)] for forth-order ordinary differential equations.