On lie and Noether symmetries of differential equations.

Abstract

The inverse problem in the Calculus of Variations involves determining the Lagrangians, if any, associated with a given (system of) differential equation(s). One can classify Lagrangians according to the Lie algebra of symmetries of the Action integral (the Noether algebra). We give a complete classification of first-order Lagrangians defined on the line and produce results pertaining to the dimensionality of the algebra of Noether symmetries and compare and contrast these with similar results on the algebra of Lie symmetries of the corresponding Euler-Lagrange .equations. It is proved that the maximum dimension of the Noether point symmetry algebra of a particle Lagrangian. is five whereas it is known that the maximum dimension Qf the Lie algebra of the corresponding scalar second-order Euler-Lagrange equation is eight. Moreover, we show th'a.t a particle Lagrangian does not admit a maximal four-dimensional Noether point symmeiry algebra and consequently a particle Lagrangian admits the maximal r E {O, 1,2,3, 5}-dimensional Noether point symmetry algebra, It is well .known that an important means of analyzing differential equations lies in the knowledge of the first integrals of the equation. We deliver an algorithm for finding first integrals of partial differential equations and show how some of the symmetry properties of the first integrals help to 'further' reduce the order of the equations and sometimes completely solve the equations. Finally, we discuss some open questions. These include the inverse problem and classification of partial differential equations. ALo, there is the question of the extension of the results to 'higher' dimensions.