A new method for solving nonlinear differential-difference equations (Q813488)

Consider nonlinear differential-difference equations of the form \[ \begin{multlined} P(u_{n+ p_1}(t), u_{n+ p_2}(t),\dots, u_{n+ p_s}(t), u_{n+p_1}'(t),\dots, u_{n+ p_s}'(t),\dots,\\ u^{(r)}_{n+ p_1}(t),\dots, u^{(r)}_{n+ p_s}(t))= 0,\end{multlined}\tag{\(*\)} \] where \(P\) is a polynom in its arguments, and \(u_n(t)= u(n,t)\). The authors look for conditions such that \((*)\) has a travelling wave solution of the type \[ u_n(t)= \sum^n_{j=1} a_j\phi^j(\xi_n)+ \sum^m_{k=1} b_k\phi^{-k}(\xi_n), \] where \(\xi_n= dn+ ct+\xi_0\), and \(\phi\) satisfies the Riccati equation \[ {d\phi(\xi_n)\over d\xi_n}= 1+ \mu\phi^2(\xi_n),\quad \mu=\pm 1, \] and where the solution can be exactly determined. The authors describe an algorithm how to solve this problem and illustrate it by means of an example.