Laplace sequences of surfaces in projective space and two-dimensional Toda equations (Q5953676)

The author elucidates the relationship between Laplace sequences of surfaces (LSS) of period \(n\) in projective space \(P^{n-1}\) and two-dimensional Toda equations of period \(n\). The fundamental equations \(z_{xt}+a_i z_x+b_iz_t +c_iz=0\) \((i=1,\dots,n)\) of periodic LSS are written in the form of first-order partial differential equations. By multiplying suitable factors to the homogeneous coordinates of the points of the surfaces, the fundamental equations of the periodic LSS are simplified significantly (``Lax pairs/equations''). One finds that there are two types I, II of \(n\) periodic LSS in \(P^{n-1}\): type II occurs only for even \(n\) and was not mentioned until now; both types have integrability conditions of the form of a two-dimensional original or generalized (``signed'') Toda equation. Finally, Darboux transformations are used to obtain explicit solutions to the signed Toda equations, and two examples of Laplace sequences of (algebraic) surfaces in \(P^3\) of types I and II are constructed.