Vertex operators and \(\tau\)-functions. Transformation groups for soliton equations. II (Q793232)

[For part I see the article reviewed in Zbl 0538.35065 above.] The aim of the article is to study soliton-type equations such as the Korteweg-de Vries equation, the Boussinesq equation, the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation, etc. through their transformation groups. After recalling the construction of Lepowsky and Wilson the authors show that the space of \(\tau\)-functions for the KdV hierarchy is the orbit of the highest weight vector of this representation. They discuss the reason why the vertex operator forms a Lie algebra. The ``vertex operator'' for the KP hierarchy is introduced and it is shown that it forms the Lie algebra \(gl(\infty)\).