Commun. Theor. Phys. (Beijing, China) 49 (2008) pp.

679684
c Chinese Physical Society Vol. 49, No. 3, March 15, 2008
Variable Separated Solutions and Four-Dromion Excitations for (2+1)-Dimensional
Nizhnik Novikov Veselov Equation

HU Ya-Hong,
1
MA Zheng-Yi,
1,2,
and ZHENG Chun-Long
1,2
1
College of Science, Zhejiang Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
2
Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, China
(Received March 13, 2007)
Abstract Using the mapping approach via the projective Riccati equations, several types of variable separated
solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional NizhnikNovikovVeselov equation are obtained, including multiple-soliton solutions,
periodic-soliton solutions, and Weierstrass function solutions. Based on a periodic-soliton solution, a new type of localized
excitation, i.e., the four-dromion soliton, is constructed and some evolutional properties of this localized structure are
briey discussed.
PACS numbers: 05.45.Yv, 02.30.IK, 05.45.Yv, 03.65.Ge
Key words: mapping approach, NizhnikNovikovVeselov equation, variable separated solution, dromion
1 Introduction
As is known, to search for the solitary wave solu-
tions to a nonlinear physical model, we can apply dif-
ferent approaches. One of the most ecient methods of
nding soliton excitations for a physical model is the so-
called mapping transformation method.
[13]
Along with
the mapping deformation idea and based on the gen-
eral reduction theory,
[49]
we introduce the mapping ap-
proach via the projective Riccati equations. The basic
idea of the algorithm is: For a given nonlinear partial dif-
ferential equation (NPDE) with independent variables X
(x
0
= t, x
1
, x
2
, . . . , x
m
), and dependent variable u,
P(u, u
t
, u
x
i
, u
x
i
x
j
, . . .) = 0 , (1)
where P is a polynomial function of its argument, and the
subscripts denote the partial derivatives. We assume that
its solution is in the standard truncated Painleve expan-
sion, namely
u = A
0
(X) +
n

i=1
(A
i
(X)f((X)) + B
i
(X)g((X)))f
i1
((X)) , (2)
where A
0
(X), A
i
(X), B
i
(X) (i = 1, . . . , n) are arbitrary
functions to be determined, (X) is an undetermined
function of X and f f((X)), g g((X)) satisfy the
projective Riccati equations
f

= pfg , g

= q + pg
2
rf , (3)
where p
2
= 1, q and r are two real constants. When
p = 1 and q = 1, equation (3) reduces to the coupled
equations given in Refs. [10] [12]. When p = 1 and
q 0, equation (3) reduces to the coupled equations given
in Ref. [13]. Under the relation between f and g,
g
2
=
1
p
_
q 2rf +
r
2
+
q
f
2
_
, (4)
when = 1, equation (3) has been discussed in Refs. [14]
and [15].
To determine u explicitly, one can take the following
procedure: First, similar to the usual mapping approach,
we can determine n by balancing the highest-order non-
linear term with the highest-order partial derivative term
in Eq. (1). Second, substituting Eqs. (2) (4) into the
given NPDE, collecting coecients of polynomial of f
i
g
j
(i = 0, 1, . . . ; j = 0, 1) and eliminating each of them, we
can derive a set of partial dierential equations of A
0
(X),
A
i
(X), B
i
(X) (i = 1, . . . , n) and (X). Third, to obtain
A
0
(X), A
i
(X), B
i
(X) (i = 1, . . . , n) and (X), we solve
these partial dierential equations. Finally, as equation
(3) possesses the following novel solutions,
[16]
(i) When = r
2
, one admits the Weierstrass elliptic
function solution,
f =
q
6r
+
2
pr
() , g =
12

()
q + 12p()
, (5)
where p = 1, Weierstrass elliptic function () =
(; g
2
, g
3
) satises
2
() = 4
3
() g
2
() g
3
, and
g
2
= q
2
/12, g
3
= pq
3
/216;
(ii) When = r
2
/25, the projective Riccati equations

The project supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 10272071 and the Natural Science Foundation
of Zhejiang Province under Grant No. Y606049

E-mail: mazhengyi [email protected]

()
()(12() + pq)
, (6)
where p = 1. q and r in solutions (5) and (6) are arbi-
trary constants;
(iii) When = h
2
s
2
, and pq < 0, equation (3) has a
solitary solution,
f =
q
r + s cosh(

pq) + hsinh(

pq)
,
g =

pq
p
s sinh(

pq) + hcosh(

pq)
r + s cosh(

pq) + hsinh(

pq)
, (7)
where p = 1, s and h are arbitrary constants;
(iv) When = h
2
s
2
, and pq > 0, we have the
trigonometric function solution,
f =
q
r + s cos(

pq) + hsin(

pq)
,
g =

pq
p
s sin(

pq) hcos(

pq)
r + s cos(

pq) + hsin(

pq)
, (8)
where p = 1, s and h are arbitrary constants;
(v) When q = 0, equation (3) has a rational solution,
f =
2
pr
2
+ C
1
C
2
, g =
2pr + C
1
(pr
2
+ C
1
C
2
)p
, (9)
where C
1
, C
2
, and r are arbitrary constants, p = 1, sub-
stituting A
0
(X), A
i
(X), B
i
(X) (i = 1, . . . , n), (X), and
the solutions (5) (9) into Eq. (2), one can derive the
exact solutions of the given NPDE.
In this paper, we consider the following celebrated
(2+1)-dimensional NizhnikNovikovVeselov (NNV)
equation
u
t
+ u
xxx
+ u
yyy
3(uv)
x
3(uw)
y
= 0 , (10)
u
x
v
y
= 0 , u
y
w
x
= 0 . (11)
The NNV system is an isotropic Lax extension of the clas-
sical (1+1)-dimensional shallow water wave KdV system.
Many authors have studied the NNV equation. For ex-
ample, Boiti et al.
[17]
solved the NNV equation via the in-
verse scattering transformation. Tagami
[18]
obtained the
soliton-like solutions of the NNV equation while Hu
[19]
gave the nonlinear superposition formula. Some special
types of the multi-dromion solutions have been found
by Radha and Lakshmanan.
[20]
The localized excitations
were given in Refs. [21] [24]. The binary Darboux trans-
formation was given in Ref. [25]. Zhang obtained variable
separation solutions by using the homogeneous balance
approach.
[26]
The localized structures such as chaos and
fractals were derived by Zheng et al.
[27]
based on a mul-
tiple linear variable separation method. However, to the
best of our knowledge, its excitations obtained here with
the aid of above projective Riccati equation approach were
not reported in the preceding literature.
2 Novel Solutions for the (2+1)-Dimensional
NNV System
Now, we apply the above mapping approach to the
NNV equation. According to the balancing procedure,
equation (2) becomes
u = A+ Bf() + Cf
2
() + Eg() + Ff()g() ,
v = a + bf() + cf
2
() + dg() + ef()g() ,
w = H + Jf() + Kf
2
() + Lg() + Mf()g() , (12)
where A, B, C, E, F, a, b, c, d, e, H, J, K, L, M,
and are arbitrary functions of {x, y, t} to be determined,
f f((X)), g g((X)) satisfy the projective Riccati
equations (3). Substituting Eq. (12) with Eqs. (3) and (4)
into Eqs. (10) and (11), collecting coecients of polyno-
mial of f
i
g
j
(i = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; j = 0, 1) and setting each
of the coecients to zero, we can derive a set of partial
dierential equations of A, B, C, E, F, a, b, c, d, e, H,
J, K, L, M, and . It is dicult to obtain the general so-
lution of these algebraic equations based on the solutions
of Eq. (3). Fortunately, in the case of = (x, t) +(y, t),
where (x, t), (y, t) are two arbitrary variable
separated functions of (x, t) and (y, t), respectively, we can
obtain solutions of Eqs. (10) and (11) as follows.
(i) For = r
2
, we have the Weierstrass elliptic func-
tion solutions,
u = pr
x

y
f() ,
v =

t
+
xxx
pq
3
x
3
x
+ pr
2
x
f() + p
xx
g() ,
w =

t
+
yyy
pq
3
y
3
y
+ pr
2
y
f() + p
yy
g() , (13)
where p = 1, q and r are arbitrary constants, f and g
are expressed by Eq. (5).
(ii) For = r
2
/25, we derive another set of Weier-
strass elliptic function solutions,
u = pr
x

y
f()
24pr
2

y
25q
f
2
()
2pr
5
_

6p
q

x

y
f()g() ,
v =

t
+
xxx
pq
3
x
3
x
+
1
5
r
_
5p
2
x
2
_

6p
q

xx
_
f()
24pr
2

2
x
25q
f
2
() + p
xx
g()
2
5
pr
_

6p
q

2
x
f()g() ,
w =

t
+
yyy
pq
3
y
3
y
+
1
5
r
_
5p
2
y
2
_

6p
q

yy
_
f()
24pr
2

2
y
25q
f
2
() + p
yy
g()
2
5
pr
_

6p
q

2
y
f()g() , (14)
where p = 1, q and r are arbitrary constants, f and g are expressed by Eq. (6).
No. 3 Variable Separated Solutions and Four-Dromion Excitations for (2+1)-Dimensional NizhnikNovikovVeselov Equation 681
(iii) For = h
2
s
2
, and pq < 0, we have the solitary solutions,
u = pr
x

y
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
x

y
q
f
2
() p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

x

y
f()g() ,
v =

t
+
xxx
pq
3
x
3
x
+
_
pr
2
x

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

xx
_
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
x
f
2
()
+ p
xx
g() p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
x
f()g() ,
w =

t
+
yyy
pq
3
y
3
y
+
_
pr
2
y

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

yy
_
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
y
f
2
()
+ p
yy
g() p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
y
f()g() , (15)
where p = 1, s and h are arbitrary constants, f and g are expressed by Eq. (7).
(iv) For = h
2
s
2
, and pq > 0, we have the trigonometric function solutions,
u = pr
x

y
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
x

y
q
f
2
() p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

x

y
f()g() ,
v =

t
+
xxx
pq
3
x
3
x
+
_
pr
2
x

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

xx
_
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
x
f
2
()
+ p
xx
g() p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
x
f()g() ,
w =

t
+
yyy
pq
3
y
3
y
+
_
pr
2
y

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

yy
_
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
y
f
2
()
p
yy
g() p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

2
y
f()g() , (16)
where p = 1, s and h are arbitrary constants, f and g are expressed by Eq. (8).
(v) For q = 0, we obtain the rational solutions,
u = pr
x

y
f() +
1
4
p
2
(C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr)
x

y
f
2
()
1
2
p
2
_
C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr
x

y
f()g() ,
v =

t
+
xxx
3
x
+ p
_

2
x

1
2
_
C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr
xx
_
f() +
1
4
p
2
(C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr)
2
x
f
2
()
+ p
xx
g()
1
2
p
2
_
C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr
2
x
f()g() ,
w =

t
+
yyy
3
y
+ p
_

2
y

1
2
_
C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr
yy
_
f() +
1
4
p
2
(C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr)
2
y
f
2
()
+ p
yy
g()
1
2
p
2
_
C
2
1
+ 4C
2
pr
2
y
f()g() , (17)
where C
1
, C
2
, and r are arbitrary constants, p = 1, f and g are expressed by Eq. (9).
3 Four-Dromion Excitations for (2+1)-Dimensional NNV System
The arbitrariness of functions (x, t) and (y, t) including in the above solutions implies that the physical quantities
u, v, and w possess rich structures. For example, based on the solitary wave solutions (15) and the rational solutions
(17), one can nd abundant localized excitations such as dromions, breathers, lumps, peakons, compactons and foldons,
which are neglected in the present paper since some similar situations have been reported in the proceeding literature.
In terms of the periodic wave solutions (16), we have not discussed considerably due to guessing the periodic wave
solution would not yield important localized excitations. However, the above conjecture may be unappropriate. In the
following part, we will discuss some signicant localized excitations derived from the following periodic wave solution,
682 HU Ya-Hong, MA Zheng-Yi, and ZHENG Chun-Long Vol. 49
namely
U |u| =

pr
x

y
f()
p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
x

y
q
f
2
() + p

p(h
2
+ r
2
s
2
)
q

x

y
f()g()

(p(h
2
+ s
2
) + rp(hsin + s cos ) +

pq

p(s
2
+ h
2
r
2
)
q
(s sin + hcos ))
q
x

y
(r + hsin + s cos )
2

, (18)
where pq > 0,

pq( + ) and (x, t), (y, t) are two arbitrary functions of the indicated variables.
3.1 Three Typical Four-Dromion Excitations
If we take the functions
= sin
2
(cos
3
(x + c
1
t)) , = sin
2
(cos
3
(y + c
2
t)) , (19)
= sin
2
(tanh
3
(x + c
1
t)) , = sin
2
(cos
3
(y + c
2
t)) , (20)
= sin
2
(tanh
3
(x + c
1
t)) , = sin
2
(tanh
3
(y + c
2
t)) , (21)
respectively, we can derive three typical four-dromion structures from the absolute value U of the function u in Eq. (18).
Figure 1(a) shows a four-dromion lattice structure of the physical quantity U expressed by Eq. (18) with the condition
(19), the selecting parameters p = 1, q = 3, r = 2, s = 3, h = 1 and the time t = 0. However, when we substitute
the hyperbolic function tanh for one of cosine functions, a four-dromion pattern periodic structure in one direction
but localized in the other is obtained. Figure 1(b) illustrates one of these scenarios (the parameters are the same as
those in Fig. 1(a)). The remarkable case occurs when both cosine functions are substituted by hyperbolic functions,
formulations (18) and (21) then yield an exponentially localized structure (Fig. 1(c)). One can then conclude that
this is a four-dromion excitation, dened here loosely as an exponentially localized solution. But this is not a strict
four-dromion structure, as a conventional four-dromion has four underlying path lines, and the four dromions are
located at the intersections of these lines.
[28]
The dromion here (Fig. 1(c)) is driven by two perpendicular lines.
Fig. 1 (a) A four-dromion lattice structure of the physical quantity U expressed by Eq. (18) with the condition (19),
the parameters p = 1, q = 3, r = 2, s = 3, h = 1, and the time t = 0. (b) A semi-localized four-dromion structure
of the physical quantity U expressed by Eq. (18) for the condition (20). (c) A localized four-dromion excitation of the
physical quantity U expressed by Eq. (18) for the condition (21), the constants in (b) and (c) are the same as those in
(a).
3.2 Interactions of Two Four-Dromion Excitations
The interactions of two four-dromion structures deserve further investigation. The interaction can be elastic or
inelastic. That is to say, for the elastic behavior, the amplitude, velocity and wave shape of two solitons do not change
after their interaction. Fusion or ssion of component solitons has also been observed in such interaction processes.
In order to study the interaction property of the new dromion solution shown in Fig. 1(c), we rst write down the
expression for a four-dromion solution in the original coordinates,
= sin
2
(tanh
3
(x + v
1
t)) + sin
2
_
tanh
3
_
1
2
(x v
2
t)
__
, = sin
2
_
tanh
3
(y v
3
t)

. (22)
Then we can derive the physical quantity U in Eq. (18) with elastic behavior (here, the functions and are expressed
by Eq. (22), the velocities v
1
= 5, v
2
= 10, v
3
= 0 and the parameters p = 1, q = 3, r = 2, s = 3, h = 1). Figure
2 shows an evolutional prole of the corresponding physical quantity U. From Fig. 2 and through detailed analyses,
we nd that the shape, amplitude and velocity of two four-dromion excitations are completely preserved after their
interaction.
No. 3 Variable Separated Solutions and Four-Dromion Excitations for (2+1)-Dimensional NizhnikNovikovVeselov Equation 683
Fig. 2 Elastic interaction between two four-dromion excitations expressed by Eq. (18) with the condition (22), the
velocities v
1
= 5, v
2
= 10, v
3
= 0 and the parameters p = 1, q = 3, r = 2, s = 3, h = 1 at times (a) t = 1, (b) t = 0,
(c) t = 1.
However, when taking
= sin
2
_
tanh
_
1
2
(x + v
1
t)
_
+ tanh
_
1
3
(x v
2
t)
__
, = tanh
2
y , (23)
and setting one of the two dromions to move along the x-axis with the velocity v
1
= 12 and the other as static or
v
2
= 0, we can see the collision of two four-dromion structures (Fig. 3). Initially (t = 1), the dromion located at the
point (0, 0) is stationary and the other located at the point (12, 0) is moving towards the stationary one (Fig. 3(a)).
At t = 0, they merge to form a single entity (Fig. 3(b)) and then separate. Eventually, at time t = 1, the moving
one reaches the point (12, 0) and the resting one is still at (0, 0) (Fig. 3(c)). We can see clearly that this interaction
totally changes their shapes although their velocities are preserved. Alternatively, we can regard the initially moving
soliton has been reduced to rest after the collision and the momentum has been totally transferred to the dromion
moving at the later time. Either way, the interaction between these two dromions is inelastic.
Fig. 3 Inelastic interaction between two four-dromion excitations expressed by Eq. (18) with the condition (23), the
velocities v
1
= 12, v
2
= 0 and the parameters p = 1, q = 3, r = 2, s = 3, h = 1 at times (a) t = 1, (b) t = 0, (c)
t = 1.
4 Summary and Discussion
First, we must point out that for the projective Riccati equations (3), when letting f = p(g r) and r
2
= q/p,
we can derive the traditional Riccati equation, namely

= +
2
, only if p(g r/2) and 1/4pq. From
this point, the approach we introduced here is a more generalized method than the mapping approach via the Riccati
equation.
[79]
Second, with the use of the projective Riccati equation approach, we have obtained several types of variable
separated solutions to the (2+1)-dimensional NizhnikNovikovVeselov (NNV) equation, including multiple soliton
solutions, periodic soliton solutions and Weierstrass function solutions.
Third, in usual case, based on the solitary wave solutions (15) and the variable separation solutions (17), one can
nd abundant localized excitations. However, in this paper, we have successfully revealed some localized patterns from
the periodic wave solution. As far as we know, the localized coherent patterns, such as the four-dromion structure,
derived from a periodic wave solution were not reported in previous literature. The physical interpretation of these
solutions and actual applications in reality will be investigated in future papers.
References
[1] S.Y. Lou and G.J. Ni, J. Math. Phys. 30 (1989) 1614.
[2] Z. Lu and H. Zhang, Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 19
(2003) 527.
[3] J.Y. Qiang, J.X. Fei, G.P. Cai, and C.L. Zheng, Commun.
684 HU Ya-Hong, MA Zheng-Yi, and ZHENG Chun-Long Vol. 49
Theor. Phys. (Beijing, China) 47 (2007) 275.
[4] P.A. Clarkson and M.D. Kruskal, J. Math. A 30 (1989)
2201.
[5] S.Y. Lou, Phys. Lett. A 151 (1990) 133.
[6] J.Q. Mei and H.Q. Zhang, Commun. Theor. Phys. (Bei-
jing, China) 44 (2005) 209.
[7] C.L. Zheng, J.P. Fang, and L.Q. Chen, Chin. Phys. 14
(2005) 676.
[8] J.P. Fang, C.L. Zheng, and J.M. Zhu, Acta Phys. Sin. 54
(2005) 2990 (in Chinese).
[9] Z.Y. Ma, Y.L. Liu, Z.M. Lu, and C.L. Zheng, Commun.
Theor. Phys. (Beijing, China) 46 (2006) 799.
[10] R. Conte and M. Musette, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 25
(1992) 5609.
[11] T.C. Bountis, V. Papageorgiou, and P. Winternitz, J.
Math. Phys. 27 (1986) 1215.
[12] G.X. Zhang, Z.B. Li, and Y.S. Duan, Sci. China (Ser. A)
30 (2000) 1103.
[13] Z.Y. Yan, Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 16 (2003) 759.
[14] Z.T. Fu, S.D. Liu, and S.K. Liu, Chaos, Solitons & Frac-
tals 20 (2004) 301.
[15] H.Y. Zhi, X.Q. Zhao, and H.Q. Zhang, Commun. Theor.
Phys. (Beijing, China) 44 (2005) 597.
[16] Z. Wang, D.S. Li, H.F. Lu, and H.Q. Zhang, Chin. Phys.
14 (2005) 2158.
[17] M. Boiti, J.J.P.M. Manna, and F. Penpinelli, Inverse
Probl. 3 (1987) 371.
[18] Y. Tagami, Phys. Lett. A 141 (1989) 116.
[19] X.B. Hu, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 27 (1994) 1331.
[20] R. Radha and M. Lakshmanan, J. Math. Phys. 35 (1994)
4746.
[21] S.Y. Lou, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 35 (2002) 10619.
[22] S.Y. Lou, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 36 (2003) 3877.
[23] S.Y. Lou, X.Y. Tang, and C.L. Chen, Chin. Phys. Lett.
19 (2002) 769.
[24] H.C. Hu, S.Y. Lou, and Q.P. Lin, Chin. Phys. Lett. 20
(2003) 1413.
[25] C. Athorne and J.J.C. Nimmo, Inverse Probl. 7 (1991)
809.
[26] J.F. Zhang, Chin. Phys. 11 (2002) 651.
[27] C.L. Zheng, J.F. Zhang, and Z.M. Sheng, Chin. Phys.
Lett. 20 (2003) 331.
[28] X.Y. Tang, K.W. Chow, and S.Y. Lou, J. Phys. A: Math.
Gen. 38 (2005) 10361.