Symmetries and conservation laws of higher-order PDEs

Abstract

The construction of conserved vectors using Noether’s theorem via a knowledge of a Lagrangian (or via the recently developed concept of partial Lagrangians) is well known. The formulae to determine these for higher-order flows is somewhat cumbersome and becomes more so as the order increases. We carry out these for a class of fourth, fifth and sixth order PDEs. In the latter case, we involve the fifth-order KdV equation using the concept of ‘weak’ Lagrangians better known for the third-order KdV case. We then consider the case of a mixed ‘high-order’ equations working on the Shallow Water Wave and Regularized Long Wave equations. These mixed type equations have not been dealt with thus far using this technique. The construction of conserved vectors using Noether’s theorem via a knowledge of a Lagrangian is well known. In some of the examples, our focus is that the resultant conserved flows display some previously unknown interesting ‘divergence properties’ owing to the presence of the mixed derivatives. We then analyse the conserved flows of some multi-variable equations that arise in Relativity. In addition to a larger class of conservation laws than those given by the isometries or Killing vectors, we may conclude what the isometries are and that these form a Lie subalgebra of the Noether symmetry algebra. We perform our analysis on versions of the Vaidya metric yielding some previously unknown information regarding the corresponding manifold. Lastly, with particular reference to this metric, we also show the variations that occur for the unknown functions. We discuss symmetries of classes of wave equations that arise as a consequence of the Vaidya metric. The objective of this study is to show how the respective geometry is responsible for giving rise to a nonlinear inhomogeneous wave equation as an alternative to assuming the existence of nonlinearities in the wave equation due to physical considerations. We find Lie and Noether point symmetries of the corresponding wave equations and give some reductions. Some interesting physical 4 conclusions relating to conservation laws such as energy, linear and angular momenta are also determined. We also present some interesting comparisons with the standard wave equations (on a ‘flat geometry’). Finally, we pursue the nature of the flow of a third grade fluid with regard to its underlying conservation laws. In particular, the fluid occupying the space over a wall is considered. At the surface of the wall, suction or blowing velocity is applied. By introducing a velocity field, the governing equations are reduced to a class of PDEs. A complete class of conservation laws for the resulting equations are constructed and analysed using the invariance properties of the corresponding multipliers/characteristics.