City Research Online City, University of London Institutional Repository Citation: Cen, J. (2019). Nonlinear classical and quantum integrable systems with PT -symmetries. (Unpublished Doctoral thesis, City, University of London) This is the accepted version of the paper. This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/23891/ Link to published version: Copyright: City Research Online aims to make research outputs of City, University of London available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author(s) and/or copyright holders. URLs from City Research Online may be freely distributed and linked to. Reuse: Copies of full items can be used for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge. Provided that the authors, title and full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. City Research Online: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/ [email protected] Nonlinear Classical and Quantum Integrable Systems with PT -symmetries Julia Cen A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering Department of Mathematics Supervisor : Professor Andreas Fring September 2019 Thesis Commission Internal examiner Dr Olalla Castro-Alvaredo Department of Mathematics, City, University of London, UK External examiner Professor Andrew Hone School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science University of Kent, UK Chair Professor Joseph Chuang Department of Mathematics, City, University of London, UK i To my parents. ii Contents Acknowledgements viii Declaration x Publications xi List of abbreviations xiii Abstract xiv 1 Introduction 1 2 Integrability, PT -symmetry and soliton solution methods 5 2.1 Classical Integrability . .5 2.2 Joint parity and time (PT ) symmetry . .7 2.3 Hirota’s direct method (HDM) . 12 2.3.1 Hirota bilinear equation for the KdV equation . 14 2.3.2 Hirota bilinear equation for the mKdV equation . 15 2.3.3 Hirota bilinear equation for the SG equation . 15 2.3.4 Hirota bilinear equation for the Hirota equation . 16 2.4 Bäcklund transformations (BTs) . 17 2.4.1 Bäcklund transformation for the KdV equation . 17 2.4.2 Bäcklund transformation for the SG equation . 18 2.5 Darboux transformations (DTs) and Darboux-Crum transformations (DCTs) 20 2.5.1 Darboux and Darboux-Crum transformation for the KdV equation 20 2.5.2 Darboux and Darboux-Crum transformation for the SG equation . 23 2.5.3 Darboux and Darboux-Crum transformation for the Hirota equation 25 2.5.4 Darboux and Darboux-Crum transformation for the ECH equation 29 iii 3 Complex soliton solutions and reality conditions for conserved charges 33 3.1 The complex KdV equation . 34 3.1.1 Complex one-soliton solution from Hirota’s direct method . 35 3.1.2 Properties of the KdV complex one-soliton solution . 36 3.1.3 KdV complex two-soliton solution from Hirota’s direct method . 37 3.1.4 KdV complex two-soliton solution from Bäcklund transformation . 39 3.2 The complex mKdV equation . 41 3.2.1 Complex one-solition solution from Hirota’s direct method . 41 3.2.2 Complex Miura transformation . 42 3.2.3 Complex Jacobi elliptic soliton solutions . 42 3.3 The complex SG equation . 44 3.3.1 Complex one-soliton solution from Hirota’s direct method . 44 3.3.2 Properties of the SG complex one-soliton solution . 45 3.3.3 SG complex two-soliton solution from Hirota’s direct method . 46 3.3.4 SG complex two-soliton solution from Bäcklund transformation . 47 3.4 PT -symmetry and reality of conserved charges . 47 3.4.1 Energy of the KdV complex one-soliton solution . 48 3.4.2 Energy of the mKdV complex one-soliton solution . 49 3.4.3 Energy of the SG complex one-soliton solution . 50 3.4.4 Energy of the complex multi-soliton solutions . 50 3.5 Conclusions . 57 4 Multicomplex soliton solutions of the KdV equation 58 4.0.1 Bicomplex and hyperbolic numbers . 58 4.0.2 Quaternionic numbers and functions . 61 4.0.3 Coquaternionic numbers and functions . 62 4.0.4 Octonionic numbers and functions . 63 4.1 The bicomplex KdV equation . 64 4.1.1 Hyperbolic scaled KdV equation . 65 4.1.2 Bicomplex soliton solutions . 66 4.1.3 PT -symmetry and reality of conserved charges for bicomplex soliton solutions . 72 4.2 The quaternionic KdV equation . 74 4.2.1 Quaternionic N-soliton solution with PT {|k-symmetry . 75 iv 4.3 The coquaternionic KdV equation . 76 4.3.1 Coquaternionic N-soliton solution with PT {|k-symmetry . 76 4.4 The octonionic KdV equation . 77 4.4.1 Octonionic N-soliton solution with PT e1e2e3e4e5e6e7 -symmetry . 77 4.5 Conclusions . 77 5 Degenerate multi-soliton solutions for KdV and SG equations 79 5.1 KdV degenerate multi-soliton solutions . 80 5.1.1 Degeneracy with Darboux-Crum transformation . 80 5.1.2 Degeneracy with Hirota’s direct method and Bäcklund transformation 81 5.1.3 Properties of degenerate multi-soliton solutions . 82 5.2 SG degenerate multi-soliton solutions . 84 5.2.1 Degenerate multi-soliton solutions from Bäcklund transformation . 84 5.2.2 Degenerate multi-soliton solutions from Darboux-Crum transformation . 88 5.2.3 Cnoidal kink solutions from shifted Lamé potentials . 91 5.2.4 Degenerate multi-soliton solutions from Hirota’s direct method . 94 5.2.5 Asymptotic properties of degenerate multi-soliton solutions . 96 5.3 Conclusions . 99 6 Asymptotic and scattering behaviour for degenerate multi-soliton solutions in the Hirota equation 101 6.1 Degenerate multi-soliton solutions from Hirota’s direct method . 101 6.1.1 One-soliton solution . 102 6.1.2 Nondegenerate and degenerate two-soliton solutions . 102 6.2 Degenerate multi-soliton solutions from Darboux-Crum transformations . 103 6.3 Reality of charges for complex degenerate multi-solitons . 105 6.3.1 Real charges from complex solutions . 107 6.4 Asymptotic properties of degenerate multi-soliton solutions . 108 6.5 Scattering properties of degenerate multi-soliton solutions . 110 6.6 Conclusions . 112 7 New integrable nonlocal Hirota equations 114 7.1 Zero-curvature and AKNS equations for the nonlocal Hirota equations . 115 7.2 The nonlocal complex parity transformed Hirota equation . 118 v 7.2.1 Soliton solutions from Hirota’s direct method . 118 7.2.2 Soliton solutions from Darboux transformation . 123 7.3 Conclusions . 124 8 Nonlocal gauge equivalence: Hirota versus ECH and ELL equations 125 8.1 Gauge equivalence . 126 8.1.1 The nonlocal Hirota system . 126 8.1.2 The nonlocal ECH equation . 127 8.2 Nonlocal multi-soliton solutions for the ECH equation from Darboux-Crum transformation . 129 8.2.1 Nonlocal one-soliton solution . 129 8.2.2 Nonlocal N-soliton solution . 130 8.3 Nonlocal solutions of the Hirota equation from the ECH equation . 130 8.4 Nonlocal solutions of the ECH equation from the Hirota equation . 132 8.5 Nonlocal soliton solutions to the ELL equation . 132 8.5.1 Local ELL equation . 132 8.5.2 Nonlocal ELL equation . 133 8.6 Conclusions . 135 9 Time-dependent Darboux transformations for non-Hermitian quantum systems136 9.1 Time-dependent Darboux and Darboux-Crum transformations . 137 9.1.1 Time-dependent Darboux transformation for Hermitian systems . 137 9.1.2 Time-dependent Darboux-Crum transformation for Hermitian systems . 139 9.1.3 Darboux scheme with Dyson maps for time-dependent non-Hermitian systems . 140 9.2 Intertwining relations for Lewis-Riesenfeld invariants . 143 9.3 Solvable time-dependent trigonometric potentials from the complex Gordon-Volkov Hamiltonian . 144 9.4 Reduced Swanson model hierarchy . 147 9.4.1 Lewis-Riesenfeld invariants . 150 9.5 Conclusions . 152 10 Conclusions and outlook 154 Appendix A 158 vi Appendix B 160 Appendix C 161 Bibliography 162 vii Acknowledgements First and foremost I would like to give my deepest heartfelt thanks to the person I am most indebted to, Professor Andreas Fring, my teacher, mentor and friend. For introducing me to the topics in this research and teaching me so much. For his immense support, advice, encouragement and countless hours devoted to me. For always making time for me in times of need, even during his busiest schedule. For his patience and enthusiasm to help me overcome the many hurdles on this journey and keep me on the right track. I am so blessed to have him as my supervisor with such insightful, invaluable guidance. I have greatly enjoyed our many hours of inspiring discussions. It has been a great pleasure and honour to work with him. Second, I would like to extend my gratitude to my other collaborator and friends over the past few years, Dr Francisco Correa and Thomas Frith. For all the stimulating, fruitful, useful discussions and contributions, which without a doubt has greatly enhanced work in this thesis. I wish to give many thanks also to my examiners, Dr Olalla Castro-Alvaredo and Professor Andrew Hone for kindly accepting the laborious task of assessing this thesis, their careful, thorough reading and insightful comments . I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities, organisers and financial support from City, which has allowed me to participate and present at many great workshops, conferences and seminars. All of this has given me the chance to meet many incredible people and have invaluable discussions with. In particular, to Dr Clare Dunning and the funding from London Mathematical Society for the opportunity to organise and hold an ECR SEMPS workshop at City. Also to the Pint of Science organisation, for allowing me to be part of coordinating such a special international festival.