TOPICS
Search

Integrable System


An integrable system is a dynamical system or system of differential equations with enough compatible conserved structure to permit exact integration. The precise meaning depends on the setting. A Hamiltonian system with n degrees of freedom is Liouville integrable when it has n functionally independent integrals of motion F_1, ..., F_n that are pairwise in involution,

 {F_i,F_j}=0,

with respect to the Poisson bracket. For nonlinear partial differential equations, integrability commonly appears through a Lax pair, an inverse scattering method, an integrable hierarchy, or infinitely many conserved quantities.


See also

Hamiltonian System, Integrable Hierarchy, Integral of Motion, Inverse Scattering Method, Lax Pair, Poisson Bracket, Soliton

Explore with Wolfram|Alpha

References

Arnold, V. I. Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics, 2nd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 237-239, 1989. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2063-1.Infeld, E. and Rowlands, G. Nonlinear Waves, Solitons, and Chaos, 2nd ed. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Integrable System." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/IntegrableSystem.html

Subject classifications