Equivalent forms of multi component Toda hierarchies (Q631655)

In the paper various sets of commuting directions in the \(\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{Z}\)-matrices are considered. For all \(k\geq 1\), the \(\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{Z}\)-matrices are decomposed in \(k\times k\)-blocks. The set of basic commuting directions splits half in a set of directions that are upper tringular with respect to this decomposition and half in a collection of directions that possess a lower triangular form. The authors consider deformations of each set in the upper and the strictly lower \(k\times k\)-block triangular \(\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{Z}\)-matrices, respectively, that preserve the commutativity of the generators of each subset and for which the evolution with respect to the parameters of the opposite set is compatible. This gives rise to an integrable hierarchy consisting of a set of evolution equations for the perturbations of the basic directions. They amount to a tower of differential and difference equations for the coefficients of these perturbed matrices. The equations of the hierarchy are conveniently formulated in Lax equations for these perturbations. Lax equations are shown in a purely algebraic way to be equivalent to zero curvature equations for a collection of finite band matrices. In conclusion there is a construction of a solution of the hierarchy.