An integrable hierarchy including the AKNS hierarchy and its strict version

Abstract

We present an integrable hierarchy that includes both the AKNS hierarchy and its strict version. We split the loop space g of gl₂ into Lie subalgebras g≥0 and g<0 of all loops with respectively only positive and only strictly negative powers of the loop parameter. We choose a commutative Lie subalgebra C in the whole loop space s of sl₂ and represent it as C = C≥0⊕C<0. We deform the Lie subalgebras C≥0 and C<0 by the respective groups corresponding to g<0 and g≥0. Further, we require that the evolution equations of the deformed generators of C≥0 and C<0 have a Lax form determined by the original splitting. We prove that this system of Lax equations is compatible and that the equations are equivalent to a set of zero-curvature relations for the projections of certain products of generators. We also define suitable loop modules and a set of equations in these modules, called the linearization of the system, from which the Lax equations of the hierarchy can be obtained. We give a useful characterization of special elements occurring in the linearization, the so-called wave matrices. We propose a way to construct a rather wide class of solutions of the combined AKNS hierarchy.