A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations
A quasi-Lie scheme is a geometric structure that provides t-dependent changes of variables transforming members of an associated family of systems of first-order differential equations into members of the same family. In this note we introduce two quasi-Lie schemes for studying second-order Gambier...
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Cariñena, J.F. Guha, P. de Lucas, J. 2019-02-19T19:03:08Z 2019-02-19T19:03:08Z 2013 A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations / J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha, L. de Lucas // Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications. — 2013. — Т. 9. — Бібліогр.: 56 назв. — англ. 1815-0659 2010 Mathematics Subject Classification: 34A26; 34A05; 34A34; 17B66; 53Z05 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3842/SIGMA.2013.026 https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/149230 A quasi-Lie scheme is a geometric structure that provides t-dependent changes of variables transforming members of an associated family of systems of first-order differential equations into members of the same family. In this note we introduce two quasi-Lie schemes for studying second-order Gambier equations in a geometric way. This allows us to study the transformation of these equations into simpler canonical forms, which solves a gap in the previous literature, and other relevant differential equations, which leads to derive new constants of motion for families of second-order Gambier equations. Additionally, we describe general solutions of certain second-order Gambier equations in terms of particular solutions of Riccati equations, linear systems, and t-dependent frequency harmonic oscillators. This paper is a contribution to the Special Issue “Symmetries of Dif ferential Equations: Frames, Invariants and Applications”. The full collection is available at http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA/SDE2012.html. The research of J.F. Cari˜nena and J. de Lucas was supported by the Polish National Science Centre under the grant HARMONIA Nr 2012/04/M/ST1/00523. They also acknowledge partial financial support by research projects MTM–2009–11154 (MEC) and E24/1 (DGA). J. de Lucas would like to thank for a research grant FMI40/10 (DGA) to accomplish a research stay in the University of Zaragoza. en Інститут математики НАН України Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations Article published earlier |
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations |
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations Cariñena, J.F. Guha, P. de Lucas, J. |
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations |
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations |
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations |
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations |
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quasi-lie schemes approach to second-order gambier equations |
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Cariñena, J.F. Guha, P. de Lucas, J. |
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Cariñena, J.F. Guha, P. de Lucas, J. |
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Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications |
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A quasi-Lie scheme is a geometric structure that provides t-dependent changes of variables transforming members of an associated family of systems of first-order differential equations into members of the same family. In this note we introduce two quasi-Lie schemes for studying second-order Gambier equations in a geometric way. This allows us to study the transformation of these equations into simpler canonical forms, which solves a gap in the previous literature, and other relevant differential equations, which leads to derive new constants of motion for families of second-order Gambier equations. Additionally, we describe general solutions of certain second-order Gambier equations in terms of particular solutions of Riccati equations, linear systems, and t-dependent frequency harmonic oscillators.
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A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations / J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha, L. de Lucas // Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications. — 2013. — Т. 9. — Бібліогр.: 56 назв. — англ. |
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2025-11-24T15:04:59Z |
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1850468893069410304 |
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Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications SIGMA 9 (2013), 026, 23 pages
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach
to Second-Order Gambier Equations?
José F. CARIÑENA †, Partha GUHA ‡ and Javier DE LUCAS §
† Department of Theoretical Physics and IUMA, University of Zaragoza,
Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50.009, Zaragoza, Spain
E-mail: jfc@unizar.es
‡ S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, JD Block, Sector III,
Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700.098, India
E-mail: partha@bose.res.in
§ Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University,
Wóy-cickiego 1/3, 01-938, Warsaw, Poland
E-mail: j.delucasaraujo@uksw.edu.pl
Received September 26, 2012, in final form March 14, 2013; Published online March 26, 2013
http://dx.doi.org/10.3842/SIGMA.2013.026
Abstract. A quasi-Lie scheme is a geometric structure that provides t-dependent changes of
variables transforming members of an associated family of systems of first-order differential
equations into members of the same family. In this note we introduce two quasi-Lie schemes
for studying second-order Gambier equations in a geometric way. This allows us to study
the transformation of these equations into simpler canonical forms, which solves a gap in the
previous literature, and other relevant differential equations, which leads to derive new con-
stants of motion for families of second-order Gambier equations. Additionally, we describe
general solutions of certain second-order Gambier equations in terms of particular solutions
of Riccati equations, linear systems, and t-dependent frequency harmonic oscillators.
Key words: Lie system; Kummer–Schwarz equation; Milne–Pinney equation; quasi-Lie
scheme; quasi-Lie system; second-order Gambier equation; second-order Riccati equation;
superposition rule
2010 Mathematics Subject Classification: 34A26; 34A05; 34A34; 17B66; 53Z05
1 Introduction
Apart from their inherent mathematical interest, differential equations are important due to
their use in all branches of science [41, 50]. This strongly motivates their analysis as a means
to study the problems they model. A remarkable approach to differential equations is given
by geometric methods [47], which have resulted in powerful techniques such as Lax pairs, Lie
symmetries, and others [48, 49].
A particular class of systems of ordinary differential equations that have been drawing some
attention in recent years are the so-called Lie systems [1, 9, 33, 46, 54, 56]. Lie systems form
a class of systems of first-order differential equations possessing a superposition rule, i.e. a func-
tion that enables us to write the general solution of a first-order system of differential equations
in terms of a generic collection of particular solutions and some constants to be related to initial
conditions [7, 18].
The theory of Lie systems furnishes many geometric methods for studying these systems [6,
17, 19, 21, 22, 26, 27, 56]. For instance, superposition rules can be employed to simplify the use
?This paper is a contribution to the Special Issue “Symmetries of Differential Equations: Frames, Invariants
and Applications”. The full collection is available at http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA/SDE2012.html
mailto:jfc@unizar.es
mailto:partha@bose.res.in
mailto:j.delucasaraujo@uksw.edu.pl
http://dx.doi.org/10.3842/SIGMA.2013.026
http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA/SDE2012.html
2 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
of numerical techniques for solving differential equations [56], and the theory of reduction of Lie
systems reduces the integration of Lie systems on Lie groups to solving Lie systems on simple
Lie groups [6, 19].
The classification of systems admitting a superposition rule is due to Lie. His result, the
nowadays called Lie–Scheffers theorem, states that a system admits a superposition rule if and
only if it describes the integral curves of a t-dependent vector field taking values in a finite-
dimensional Lie algebra of vector fields. The existence of such Lie algebras on R and R2 was
analysed by Lie in his famous work [45]. More recently, the topic was revisited by Olver and
coworkers [28], who clarified a number of details that were not properly described in the previous
literature.
Despite their interesting properties, Lie systems have a relevant drawback: there exist just
a few Lie systems of broad interest [36]. Indeed, the Lie–Scheffers theorem and, more specifically,
the classification of finite-dimensional Lie algebras of vector fields on low dimensional mani-
folds [28, 45] clearly show that that being a Lie system is the exception rather than the rule.
This has led to generalise the theory of Lie systems so as to tackle a larger family of remark-
able systems [2, 3, 9, 36]. In particular, we henceforth focus on the so-called quasi-Lie schemes.
These recently devised structures [15, 20] have been found quite successful in investigating trans-
formation and integrability properties of differential equations, e.g. Abel equations, dissipative
Milne–Pinney equations, second-order Riccati equations, and others [9]. In addition, the ob-
tained results are useful so as to research on the physical and mathematical problems described
through these equations.
In this work, we study the second-order Gambier equations by means of the theory of quasi-
Lie schemes. We provide two new quasi-Lie schemes. Their associated groups [15] give rise to
groups of t-dependent changes of variables, which are used to transform second-order Gambier
equations into another ones. Such groups allow us to explain in a geometric way the existence
of certain transformations reducing a quite general subclass of second-order Gambier equations
into simpler ones. Our approach provides a better understanding of a result pointed out in [30].
As a byproduct, we show that the procedure given in the latter work does not apply to every
second-order Gambier equation, which solves a gap performed in there.
We provide conditions for second-order Gambier equations, written as first-order systems,
to be mapped into Lie systems via t-dependent changes of variables induced by our quasi-Lie
schemes. This is employed to determine families of Gambier equations which can be transformed
into second-order Riccati equations [31], Kummer–Schwarz equations [4, 5] and Milne–Pinney
equations [25]. These results are employed to derive, as far as we know, new constants of motion
for certain second-order Gambier equations. Moreover, the description of their general solutions
in terms of particular solutions of t-dependent frequency harmonic oscillators, linear systems,
or Riccati equations is provided [9, 29].
The structure of our paper goes as follows. Section 2 addresses the description of the fun-
damental notions to be employed throughout our work. Section 3 describes a new quasi-Lie
scheme for studying second-order Gambier equations. In Section 4 this quasi-Lie scheme is used
to analyse the reduction of second-order Gambier equations to a simpler canonical form [30].
By using the theory of quasi-Lie systems, we determine in Section 5 a family of second-order
Gambier equations that can be mapped into second-order Kummer–Schwarz equations. The
investigation of constants of motion for some members of the previous family is performed in
Section 6. In Section 7 we describe the general solutions of a family of second-order Gambier
equations in terms of particular solutions of other differential equations. We present a second
quasi-Lie scheme for investigating second-order Gambier equations in Section 8, and conditions
are given to be able to transform these equations into second-order Riccati equations. Those
second-order Gambier equations that can be transformed into second-order Riccati equations
are integrated in Section 9. Finally, Section 10 is devoted to summarising our main results.
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 3
2 Fundamentals
Let us survey the fundamental results to be used throughout the work (see [15, 16, 17, 18] for
details). In general, we hereafter assume all objects to be smooth, real, and globally defined on
linear spaces. This simplifies our exposition and allows us to avoid tackling minor details.
Given the projection π : (t, x) ∈ R × Rn 7→ x ∈ Rn and the tangent bundle projection
τ : TRn → Rn, a t-dependent vector field on Rn is a mapping X : R × Rn → TRn such that
τ ◦X = π. This condition entails that every t-dependent vector field X gives rise to a family
{Xt}t∈R of vector fields Xt : x ∈ Rn 7→ X(t, x) ∈ TRn and vice versa. We call minimal Lie
algebra ofX the smallest real Lie algebra V X containing the vector fields {Xt}t∈R. Given a finite-
dimensional R-linear space V of vector fields on Rn, we write V (C∞(R)) for the C∞(R)-module
of t-dependent vector fields taking values in V .
An integral curve of X is a standard integral curve γ : R → R × Rn of its suspension, i.e.
the vector field X = ∂/∂t+X(t, x) on R× Rn. Note that the integral curves of X of the form
γ : t ∈ R→ (t, x(t)) ∈ R× Rn are the solutions of the system
dxi
dt
= Xi(t, x), i = 1, . . . , n, (2.1)
the referred to as associated system of X. Conversely, given such a system, we can define
a t-dependent vector field on Rn [16]
X(t, x) =
n∑
i=1
Xi(t, x)
∂
∂xi
whose integral curves of the form (t, x(t)) are the solutions to (2.1). This justifies to write X
for both a t-dependent vector field and its associated system.
We call generalised flow a map g : (t, x) ∈ R × Rn 7→ gt(x) ∈ Rn such that g0 = IdRn .
Every t-dependent vector field X can be associated with a generalised flow g satisfying that the
general solution of X can be written in the form x(t) = gt(x0) with x0 ∈ Rn. Conversely, every
generalised flow defines a vector field by means of the expression [15]
X(t, x) =
d
ds
∣∣∣∣
s=t
gs ◦ g−1t (x).
Generalised flows act on t-dependent vector fields [18]. More precisely, given a generalised
flow g and a t-dependent vector field X, we can define a unique t-dependent vector field,
gFX, whose associated system has general solution x̄(t) = gt(x(t)), where x(t) is the general
solution of X. In other words, every g induces a t-dependent change of variables x̄(t) = gt(x(t))
transforming the system X into gFX. Indeed, g can be viewed as a diffeomorphism ḡ : (t, x) ∈
R × Rn 7→ (t, gt(x)) ∈ R × Rn, and it can easily be proved that gFX is the only t-dependent
vector field such that gFX = ḡ∗X, where ḡ∗ is the standard action of the diffeomorphism ḡ on
vector fields (see [18]).
Among all t-dependent vector fields, we henceforth focus on those whose associated systems
are Lie systems. The characteristic property of Lie systems is to possess a superposition rule [7,
18, 46]. A superposition rule for a system X on Rn is a map Φ : (u(1), . . . , u(m); k1, . . . , kn) ∈
(Rn)m×Rn 7→ Φ(u(1), . . . , u(m); k1, . . . , kn) ∈ Rn allowing us to write its general solution x(t) as
x(t) = Φ(x(1)(t), . . . , x(m)(t); k1, . . . , kn),
for a generic family of particular solutions x(1)(t), . . . , x(m)(t) and a set of constants k1, . . . , kn
to be related to initial conditions.
4 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
The celebrated Lie–Scheffers theorem [46, Theorem 44] states that a system X possesses
a superposition rule if and only if it is a t-dependent vector field taking values in a finite-
dimensional real Lie algebra of vector fields, termed Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra [34, 53]. In
other words, X is a Lie system if and only if V X is finite-dimensional [9]. This is indeed the
main reason to define V X [14].
To illustrate the above notions, let us consider the Riccati equation [35]
dx
dt
= b1(t) + b2(t)x+ b3(t)x
2, (2.2)
where b1(t), b2(t), b3(t) are arbitrary functions of time. Its general solution, x(t), can be obtained
from an expression [38, 56]
x(t) = Φ(x(1)(t), x(2)(t), x(3)(t); k),
where k is a real number to be related to the initial conditions of every particular solution,
x(1)(t), x(2)(t), x(3)(t) are three different particular solutions of (2.2) and Φ : R3 × R → R is
given by
Φ(u(1), u(2), u(3); k) =
u(1)(u(2) − u(3))− ku(2)(u(3) − u(1))
(u(2) − u(3))− k(u(3) − u(1))
.
That is, the Riccati equations admit a superposition rule. Therefore, from the Lie–Scheffers
Theorem, we infer that the t-dependent vector field X associated to a Riccati equation is such
that V X is finite-dimensional. Indeed,
X =
(
b1(t) + b2(t)x+ b3(t)x
2
) ∂
∂x
.
Taking into account that X1 = ∂/∂x, X2 = x∂/∂x, X3 = x2∂/∂x span a finite-dimensional real
Lie algebra V of vector fields and Xt = b1(t)X1+b2(t)X2+b3(t)X3, we obtain that {Xt}t∈R ⊂ V
and V X becomes a (finite-dimensional) Lie subalgebra of V .
The Lie–Scheffers theorem shows that just some few first-order systems are Lie sys-
tems [9, 36]. For instance, this theorem implies that all Lie systems on the real line are, up
to a change of variables, a particular case of a linear or Riccati equation [55]. Therefore, many
other important differential equations cannot be studied through Lie systems (see [9] for exam-
ples of this). In order to treat non-Lie systems, new techniques generalising Lie systems need
to be developed. We here focus on the theory of quasi-Lie schemes [15, 20].
Definition 2.1. Let W , V be finite-dimensional real vector spaces of vector fields on Rn. We
say that they form a quasi-Lie scheme S(W,V ) if:
• W is a vector subspace of V .
• W is a Lie algebra of vector fields, i.e. [W,W ] ⊂W .
• W normalises V , i.e. [W,V ] ⊂ V .
Associated to each quasi-Lie scheme, we have the C∞(R)-modules W (C∞(R)) and V (C∞(R))
of t-dependent vector fields taking values in W and V , respectively. Now, from the Lie alge-
bra W , we define the group G(W ) of generalised flows of t-dependent vector fields taking values
in W , the so-called group of the scheme. The relevance of this group is due to the following
theorem [15].
Theorem 2.1. Given a quasi-Lie scheme S(W,V ), every generalised flow of G(W ) acts trans-
forming elements of V (C∞(R)) into members of V (C∞(R)).
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 5
In other words, the elements of the group of a scheme provide t-dependent changes of variables
that transform systems of V (C∞(R)) into systems of this family. Roughly speaking, we can un-
derstand this group as a generalisation of the t-independent symmetry group of a system: apart
from transforming the initial system into itself, the transformations of the group of a scheme
also may transform the initial system into one of the “same type”. For instance, given a Lie
system X associated with a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra V , then S(V, V ) becomes a quasi-Lie
scheme. The group G(V ) allows us to transform X into a Lie system with a Vessiot–Guldberg
Lie algebra V . This can be employed, for example, to transform Riccati equations into Riccati
equations that can be easily integrated, giving rise to methods to integrate Riccati equations.
In order to illustrate previous notions, we now turn to proving that quasi-Lie schemes allow
us to cope with Abel equations of first-order and first kind [11], i.e.
dx
dt
= b1(t) + b2(t)x+ b3(t)x
2 + b4(t)x
3, (2.3)
with b1(t), . . . , b4(t) being arbitrary t-dependent functions. Indeed, if we fix W = 〈∂/∂x, x∂/∂x〉,
it can be proved that S(W,V ) and V = 〈∂/∂x, x∂/∂x, x2∂/∂x, x3∂/∂x〉 is a quasi-Lie scheme and
X ∈ V (C∞(R)) for every X related to an Abel equation (2.3). The elements of G(W ) transform
Abel equations into Abel equations and geometrically recover the usual t-dependent changes
of variables used to study these equations. This was employed in [11] to describe integrability
properties of Abel equations.
Given a quasi-Lie scheme S(W,V ), certain systems in V (C∞(R)) can be mapped into Lie
systems admitting a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra contained in V . This enables us to study
the transformed system through techniques from the theory of Lie systems and, undoing the
performed transformation, to obtain properties of the initial system under study [15].
Definition 2.2. Let S(W,V ) be a quasi-Lie scheme and X a t-dependent vector field in
V (C∞(R)), we say that X is a quasi-Lie system with respect to S(W,V ) if there exists a gene-
ralised flow g ∈ G(W ) and a Lie algebra of vector fields V0 ⊂ V such that gFX ∈ V0(C∞(R)).
3 A new quasi-Lie scheme
for investigating second-order Gambier equations
The Gambier equation [30, 32] can be described as the coupling of two Riccati equations in
cascade, which can be given in the following form
dy
dt
= −y2 + a1y + a2,
dx
dt
= a0x
2 + nyx+ σ,
where n is an integer, σ is a constant, which can be scaled to 1 unless it happens to be 0,
and a0, a1, a2 are certain functions depending on time. The precise form of the coefficients
of the Gambier equation is determined by singularity analysis, which leads to some constraints
on a0, a1 and a2 [30]. For simplicity, we hereafter assume a0(0) 6= 0. Nevertheless, all our results
can easily be generalised for the case a0(0) = 0.
If n 6= 0, we can eliminate y between the two equations above, which gives rise to the referred
to as second-order Gambier equation [32, 39, 40, 44], i.e.
d2x
dt2
=
n− 1
xn
(
dx
dt
)2
+ a0
(n+ 2)
n
x
dx
dt
+ a1
dx
dt
− σ (n− 2)
nx
dx
dt
− a20
n
x3 +
(
da0
dt
− a0a1
)
x2 +
(
a2n− 2a0
σ
n
)
x− a1σ −
σ2
nx
. (3.1)
6 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
The importance of second-order Gambier equations is due to their relations to remarkable
differential equations such as second-order Riccati equations [31, 35], second-order Kummer–
Schwarz equations [5, 16] and Milne–Pinney equations [32]. Additionally, by making appropriate
limits in their coefficients, Gambier equations describe all the linearisable equations of the
Painlevé–Gambier list [32]. Several particular cases of these equations have also been studied in
order to analyse discrete systems [40].
Particular instances of (3.1) have already been investigated through the theory of Lie systems
and quasi-Lie schemes. For instance, by fixing n = −2, σ = a1 = 0, and a0 to be a constant, the
second-order Gambier equation (3.1) becomes a second-order Kummer–Schwarz equation (KS2
equation) [5, 16]
d2x
dt2
=
3
2x
(
dx
dt
)2
− 2c0x
3 + 2ω(t)x, (3.2)
where we have written c0 = −a20/4, with c0 a non-positive constant, and ω(t) = −a2(t) so as
to keep, for simplicity in following procedures, the same notion as used in the literature, e.g.
in [16]. The interest of KS2 equations is due to their relations to other differential equations
of physical and mathematical interest [16, 24, 32]. For instance, for x > 0 the change of
variables y = 1/
√
x transforms KS2 equations into Milne–Pinney equations, which frequently
occur in cosmology [32]. Meanwhile, the non-local transformation dy/dt = xmaps KS2 equations
into a particular type of third-order Kummer–Schwarz equations, which are closely related to
Schwarzian derivatives [4, 16, 43]. Additionally, KS2 equations can be related, through the
addition of the new variable dx/dt = v, to a Lie system associated to a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie
algebra isomorphic to sl(2,R), which gave rise to various methods to study its properties and
related problems [16].
If we now assume n = 1 and σ = 0 in (3.1), it results
d2x
dt2
= (a1 + 3a0x)
dx
dt
− a20x3 +
(
da0
dt
− a0a1
)
x2 + a2x,
which is a particular case of second-order Riccati equations [23, 31] that has been treated through
the theory of quasi-Lie schemes and Lie systems in several works [10, 13, 29]. Furthermore,
equations of this type have been broadly investigated because of its appearance in the study of
the Bäcklund transformations for PDEs, their relation to physical problems, and the interest of
the algebraic structure of their Lie symmetries [8, 23, 31, 37, 42].
In view of the previous results, it is natural to wonder which kind of second-order Gambier
equations can be studied through the theory of quasi-Lie schemes. To this end, let us build up
a quasi-Lie scheme for analysing these equations.
As usual, the introduction of the new variable v ≡ dx/dt enables us to relate the second-order
Gambier equation (3.1) to the first-order system
dx
dt
= v,
dv
dt
=
(n− 1)
n
v2
x
+ a0
(n+ 2)
n
xv + a1v − σ
(n− 2)
n
v
x
− a20
n
x3
+
(
da0
dt
− a0a1
)
x2 +
(
a2n− 2a0
σ
n
)
x− a1σ −
σ2
nx
,
which is associated to the t-dependent vector field on TR0, with R0 ≡ R \ {0}, given by
X = v
∂
∂x
+
[
(n− 1)
n
v2
x
+ a0
(n+ 2)
n
xv + a1v − σ
(n− 2)
n
v
x
− a20
n
x3
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 7
+
(
da0
dt
− a0a1
)
x2 +
(
a2n− 2a0
σ
n
)
x− a1σ −
σ2
nx
]
∂
∂v
,
termed henceforth the Gambier vector field. To obtain a quasi-Lie scheme for studying the above
equations, we need to find a finite-dimensional R-linear space VG such that X ∈ VG(C∞(R))
for all a0, a1, a2, σ and n. Observe that X can be cast in the form
X =
10∑
α=1
bα
(
a0,
da0
dt
, a1, a2, σ, n
)
Yα, (3.3)
with b1, . . . , b10 being certain t-dependent functions whose form depends on the functions a0,
da0/dt, a1, a2 and the constants σ and n. More specifically, these functions read
b1 = 1, b2 =
n− 1
n
, b3 = a0
n+ 2
n
, b4 = a1, b5 = −σn− 2
n
,
b6 = −a
2
0
n
, b7 =
da0
dt
− a0a1, b8 = a2n− 2a0
σ
n
, b9 = −a1σ, b10 = −σ
2
n
and
Y1 = v
∂
∂x
, Y2 =
v2
x
∂
∂v
, Y3 = xv
∂
∂v
, Y4 = v
∂
∂v
, Y5 =
v
x
∂
∂v
,
Y6 = x3
∂
∂v
, Y7 = x2
∂
∂v
, Y8 = x
∂
∂v
, Y9 =
∂
∂v
, Y10 =
1
x
∂
∂v
.
For convenience, we further define the vector field
Y11 = x
∂
∂x
,
which, although does not appear in the decomposition (3.3), will shortly become useful so as to
describe the properties of Gambier vector fields.
In view of (3.3), it easily follows that we can choose VG to be the space spanned by Y1, . . . , Y11.
It is interesting to note that the linear space VG is not a Lie algebra as [Y3, Y6] does not belong
to VG. Moreover, as
adjY3Y6 ≡
j-times︷ ︸︸ ︷
[Y3, [Y3, [. . . , [Y3, Y6] . . .]]] = (−1)jxj+3 ∂
∂v
, j ∈ N,
there is no finite-dimensional real Lie algebra V̂ ⊃ VG such that X ∈ V̂ (C∞(R)). Hence, X is
not in general a Lie system, which suggests us to use quasi-Lie schemes to investigate it.
To determine a quasi-Lie scheme involving VG, we must find a real finite-dimensional Lie
algebra WG ⊂ VG such that [WG, VG] ⊂ VG. In view of Table 1, we can do so by setting
WG = 〈Y4, Y8, Y11〉, which is a solvable three-dimensional Lie algebra. In fact,
[Y4, Y8] = −Y8, [Y4, Y11] = 0, [Y8, Y11] = −Y8.
In other words, we have proved the following proposition providing a new quasi-Lie scheme to
study Gambier vector fields and, as shown posteriorly, second-order Gambier equations.
Proposition 3.1. The spaces VG = 〈Y1, . . . , Y11〉 and WG = 〈Y4, Y8, Y11〉 form a quasi-Lie
scheme S(WG, VG) such that X ∈ VG(C∞(R)) for every Gambier vector field X.
Recall that Y11 is not necessary so that every Gambier vector field takes values in VG. Hence,
why it is convenient to add it to VG? One reason can be found in Table 1. If VG had not
contained Y11, then S(WG, VG) would have not been a quasi-Lie scheme as WG * VG. In
addition, Y8 could not belong to WG neither, as [Y8, Y1] ∈ VG provided Y11 − Y4 ∈ VG. Hence,
including Y11 in VG allows us to choose a larger WG ⊂ VG. In turn this gives rise to a larger
group G(WG), which will be of great use in following sections.
8 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
Table 1. Lie brackets [Yi, Yj ] with i = 4, 8, 11 and j = 1, . . . , 11.
[·, ·] Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10 Y11
Y4 Y1 Y2 0 0 0 −Y6 −Y7 −Y8 −Y9 −Y10 0
Y8 Y11 − Y4 2Y4 Y7 Y8 Y9 0 0 0 0 0 −Y8
Y11 −Y1 −Y2 Y3 0 −Y5 3Y6 2Y7 Y8 0 −Y10 0
4 Transformation properties of second-order Gambier equations
Remind that Theorem 2.1 states that the t-dependent changes of variables associated to the
elements of the group G(W ) of a quasi-Lie scheme S(W,V ) establish bijections among the t-
dependent vector fields taking values in V . This may be of great use so as to transform their
associated systems into simplified forms, e.g. in the case of Abel equations [11]. We next show
how this can be done for studying the transformation of second-order Gambier equations into
simpler ones whose corresponding coefficients a1 vanish [30]. This retrives known results from
a geometrical viewpoint and shows that certain second-order Gambier equations cannot be
transformed into simpler ones, solving a small gap performed in [30].
As the vector fields in WG span a finite-dimensional real Lie algebra of vector fields on TR0,
there exists a local Lie group action ϕ : G × TR0 → TR0 whose fundamental vector fields are
the elements of WG. By integrating the vector fields of WG (see [12] for details), the action can
easily be written as
ϕ
(
g,
(
x
v
))
=
(
αx
γx+ δv
)
, where g ∈ Td ≡
{(
α 0
γ δ
) ∣∣∣∣α, δ ∈ R+, γ ∈ R
}
.
The theory of Lie systems [9, 17] states that the solutions of a system associated to a t-dependent
vector field taking values in the real Lie algebraWG are of the form (x(t), v(t)) = ϕ(h(t), (x0, v0)),
with h(t) being a curve in Td with h(0) = e. Therefore, every g ∈ G(WG) can be written as
gt(·) = ϕ(h(t), ·) for a certain curve h(t) in G with h(0) = e. Conversely, given a curve h(t) in
Td with h(0) = e, the curve (x(t), v(t)) = ϕ(h(t), (x0, v0)) is the general solution of a system of
WG(C∞(R)), which leads to a generalised flow gt(·) = ϕ(h(t), ·) of G(WG) [9, 17]. Hence, the
elements of G(WG) are generalised flows of the form
gh(t)(t, x, v) = ϕ(h(t), x, v),
for h(t) any curve in Td with h(0) = e. Observe that every h(t) is a matrix of the form
h(t) =
(
α(t) 0
γ(t) δ(t)
)
where α(t), δ(t) and γ(t) are t-dependent functions such that α(0) = δ(0) = 1 and γ(0) = 0,
because h(0) = e, and α(t) > 0, δ(t) > 0 as h(t) ∈ Td for every t ∈ R. Hence, every element
of G(WG) is of the form
gα(t),γ(t),δ(t)(t, x, v) ≡ gh(t)(t, x, v) = (t, α(t)x, γ(t)x+ δ(t)v). (4.1)
Theorem 2.1 implies that for every g ∈ G(WG) and Gambier vector field X ∈ VG(C∞(R)),
we have gFX ∈ VG(C∞(R)). More specifically, a long but straightforward calculation shows
that
gFX =
11∑
α=1
b̄α(t)Yα, (4.2)
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 9
where the functions b̄α = b̄α(t), with α = 1, . . . , 11, are
b̄1 =
α
δ
, b̄2 =
n− 1
n
α
δ
, b̄3 =
a0(n+ 2)
nα
, b̄4 = a1 +
1
δ
dδ
dt
+
(2− n)γ
nδ
,
b̄5 =
(2− n)σα
n
, b̄6 = − a
2
0δ
nα3
, b̄7 =
1
α2
(
δ
da0
dt
− a0a1δ −
n+ 2
n
a0γ
)
,
b̄8 =
δ
α
(
na2 −
2σ
n
a0 −
γ
δ
a1 −
γ2
nδ2
− γ
δ2
dδ
dt
+
1
δ
dγ
dt
)
,
b̄9 = −σ
(
a1δ +
(2− n)γ
n
)
, b̄10 = −σ
2αδ
n
, b̄11 =
1
α
dα
dt
− γ
δ
. (4.3)
Let us use this so as to transform the initial Gambier vector field into another one that is related,
up to a t-reparametrisation τ = τ(t), to a second-order Gambier equation with τ -dependent
coefficients ā0, ā1, ā2, a constant σ̄ and an integer number n̄. Additionally, we impose ā1 = 0
in order to reduce our initial first-order Gambier equation into a simpler one. In this way, we
have
gFX = ξ(t)
[
Y1 +
n̄− 1
n̄
Y2 + ā0
n̄+ 2
n̄
Y3 − σ
n̄− 2
n̄
Y5
− ā20
n̄
Y6 +
dā0
dτ
Y7 +
(
ā2n̄− 2ā0
σ̄
n̄
)
Y8 −
σ̄2
n̄
Y10
]
, (4.4)
for a certain non-vanishing function ξ(t) = dτ/dt. Therefore, b̄4 = b̄9 = b̄11 = 0, i.e.
a1 +
1
δ
dδ
dt
+
(2− n)γ
nδ
= 0, (4.5)
σ
(
a1δ +
(2− n)γ
n
)
= 0, (4.6)
1
α
dα
dt
− γ
δ
= 0. (4.7)
As we want our method to work for all values of σ, e.g. σ 6= 0, equation (4.6) implies
a1δ +
(2− n)γ
n
= 0. (4.8)
As δ > 0, the above equation involves that a1 = 0 for n = 2. In other words, we cannot
transform a Gambier vector field with a1 6= 0 into a new one with ā1 = 0 through our methods
if n = 2 and σ 6= 0. In view of this, let us assume that n 6= 2.
From (4.5) and (4.8), and using again that δ > 0, we infer that dδ/dt = 0. As δ(0) = 1, then
δ = 1. Plugging the value of δ into (4.7) and (4.8), we obtain
1
α
dα
dt
=
na1
n− 2
= γ ⇐⇒ α = exp
(∫ t
0
na1
n− 2
dt′
)
, γ =
na1
n− 2
,
which fixes the form of g mapping a system X into (4.4). Bearing previous results in mind, we
see that the non-vanishing t-dependent coefficients (4.3) become
b̄1 = α, b̄2 =
n− 1
n
α, b̄3 =
a0(n+ 2)
nα
, b̄5 =
(2− n)σα
n
, b̄6 = − a20
nα3
,
b̄7 =
d
dt
( a0
α2
)
, b̄8 =
1
α
(
na2 −
2σa0
n
− n(n− 1)
(n− 2)2
a21 +
n
n− 2
da1
dt
)
, b̄10 = −σ
2α
n
.
10 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
Comparing this and (4.4), we see that to transform the initial first-order Gambier equation into
a new one through a t-dependent change of variables (4.1) and a t-reparametrisation dτ = αdt
requires ξ = α. The resulting system reads
dx̄
dτ
= v̄,
dv̄
dτ
=
(n− 1)
n
v̄2
x̄
+ a0
(n+ 2)
α2n
x̄v̄ − σ (n− 2)
n
v̄
x̄
− a20
α4n
x̄3
+
d
(
a0/α
2
)
dτ
x̄2 +
(
ā2n− 2a0α
−2σ
n
)
x̄− σ2
nx̄
,
where
ā2 =
1
α2
(
a2 −
(n− 1)
(n− 2)2
a21 +
1
n− 2
da1
dt
)
.
Therefore, redefining n̄ = n, ā0 = a0/α
2 and σ̄ = σ, we obtain that the above system is
associated to a second-order Gambier equation with ā1 = 0. Meanwhile, as g induces a t-
dependent change of variables given by
x̄ = αx, v̄ =
dα
dτ
x+ v,
we see that this t-dependent change of variables can be viewed as a t-dependent change of
variables x̄ = αx along with a t-reparametrisation t→ τ such that v̄ = dx̄/dτ . Indeed,
x̄ = αx =⇒ dx̄
dτ
=
dα
dτ
x+ α
dx
dτ
=
dα
dτ
x+ v = v̄.
Furthermore, these transformations map the initial second-order Gambier equation with n 6= 2
into a new one with ā1 = 0, i.e. depending only on two functions ā0 and ā2 and the constants σ
and n. We can therefore formulate the following result.
Proposition 4.1. Every second-order Gambier equation (3.1) with n 6= 2 can be transformed via
a t-dependent change of variables x̄ = α(t)x and a t-reparametrisation τ = τ(t), with dτ = αdt,
α(0) = 1 and
1
α
dα
dt
=
n
n− 2
a1,
into a second-order Gambier equation whose a1 vanishes and n, σ remain the same.
In the above proposition, we excluded second-order Gambier equations with n = 2 as we
noticed that in this case the proof of this proposition does not hold: we cannot transform an
initial Gambier vector field with σ 6= 0 and a1 6= 0 into a new one with ā1 = 0. Moreover, it
is easy to see that the transformation provided in Proposition 4.1 does not exist for n = 2 and
a1 6= 0. This was not noticed in [30], where this transformation is wrongly claimed to transform
any Gambier equation into a simpler one with a1 = 0. In view of this, we cannot neither ensure,
as claimed in [30], that second-order Gambier equations are not given in their simplest form.
5 Quasi-Lie systems and Gambier equations
The theory of quasi-Lie schemes mainly provides information about quasi-Lie systems, which
can be mapped to Lie systems through one of the transformations of the group of a quasi-Lie
scheme. This allows us to employ the techniques of the theory of Lie systems so as to study the
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 11
obtained Lie systems, and, undoing the performed t-dependent change of variables, to describe
properties of the initial system [15].
Motivated by the above, we determine and study the Gambier vector fields X ∈ V (C∞(R))
which are quasi-Lie systems relative to S(WG, VG). This task relies in finding triples (g,X, V0),
with g ∈ G(WG) and V0 being a real Lie algebra included in VG in such a way that gFX ∈
V0(C
∞(R)).
One of the key points to determine quasi-Lie systems is to find a Lie algebra V0. In the
case of Gambier vector fields, this can readily be obtained by recalling that certain instances of
second-order Gambier equations, e.g. (3.2), are particular cases of KS2 equations. By adding
a new variable v ≡ dx/dt to (3.2), the resulting first-order system becomes a Lie system (see [16])
related to a three-dimensional Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra V0 ⊂ VG of vector fields on TR0
spanned by
X1 = 2x
∂
∂v
, X2 = x
∂
∂x
+ 2v
∂
∂v
, X3 = v
∂
∂x
+
(
3
2
v2
x
− 2c0x
3
)
∂
∂v
, (5.1)
i.e.
X1 = 2Y8, X2 = Y11 + 2Y4, X3 = Y1 +
3
2
Y2 − 2 c0 Y6.
Consequently, it makes sense to look for Gambier vector fields X ∈ V (C∞(R)) that can be
transformed, via an element g ∈ G(WG), into a Lie system gFX ∈ V0(C∞(R)), i.e.
gFX = 2f(t)Y8 + g(t)(Y11 + 2Y4) + h(t)
(
Y1 +
3
2
Y2 − 2c0Y6
)
,
for certain t-dependent functions f , g and h. Comparing the expression of gFX given by (4.3)
and the above, we find that gFX ∈ V0(C∞(R)) if and only if
b̄3 = b̄5 = b̄7 = b̄9 = b̄10 = 0 (5.2)
and
b̄4 = 2b̄11, b̄2 =
3
2
b̄1, b̄6 = −2c0b̄1. (5.3)
From expressions (4.3) and remembering that α > 0 and δ > 0, we see that condition b̄10 = 0
implies that σ = 0. This involves, along with (4.3), that b̄5 = b̄9 = 0. Meanwhile, from
b̄2 = 3b̄1/2 we obtain n = −2, which in turn ensures that b̄3 = 0. Bearing all this in mind,
b̄7 = 0 reads
a0a1 −
da0
dt
= 0. (5.4)
Above results impose restrictions on the form of the Gambier vector field X to be able to be
transformed into a Lie system possessing a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra V0 via an element
g ∈ G(WG). Let us show that the remaining conditions in (5.2) and (5.3) merely characterise
the form of the t-dependent change of variables g and the coefficient c0 appearing in (3.2).
Conditions 2b̄11 = b̄4 and b̄6 = −2c0b̄1 read
d
dt
log
α2
δ
= a1, a20 = −4c0
α4
δ2
. (5.5)
Using the first condition above, the relation (5.4), and taking into account that α(0) = δ(0) = 1
and δ, α > 0, we see that
d
dt(α
2δ−1)
α2δ−1
=
1
a0
da0
dt
=⇒ α2
δ
=
a0
a0(0)
.
12 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
Using the second equality in (5.5), we obtain
4c0 = −a0(0)2,
which fixes c0 in terms of a coefficient of the initial second-order Gambier equation.
Concerning the t-dependent coefficients b̄1, . . . , b̄11, the non-vanishing ones under above con-
ditions, i.e. b̄1, b̄2, b̄4, b̄6, b̄8 and b̄11, can readily be obtained through relations (5.3) and
b̄1 =
α
δ
, b̄8 =
δ
α
(
−2a2 −
γ
δa0
da0
dt
+
γ2
2δ2
− γ
δ2
dδ
dt
+
1
δ
dγ
dt
)
, b̄11 =
1
α
dα
dt
− γ
δ
.
In other words, we have proved the following proposition.
Proposition 5.1. A Gambier vector field X is a quasi-Lie system relative to S(WG, VG) that
can be transformed into a Lie system taking values in a Lie algebra of the form V0 if and only
if a0a1 = da0/dt, n = −2 and σ = 0. Under these conditions, the constant c0 appearing in X3
becomes c0 = −a0(0)2/4. Additionally, a transformation g(α(t), γ(t), δ(t)) ∈ G(WG) maps X
into gFX ∈ V0(C∞(R)) if and only if α2/δ = a0/a0(0). More specifically, gFX reads
gFX =
α
δ
X3 +
(
1
α
dα
dt
− γ
δ
)
X2 +
δ
2α
(
−2a2 −
γ
δa0
da0
dt
+
γ2
2δ2
− γ
δ2
dδ
dt
+
1
δ
dγ
dt
)
X1. (5.6)
The above proposition allows us to determine the transformations g ∈ G(WG) ensuring that
a Gambier vector field and its related second-order Gambier equation can be mapped, maybe
up to a t-reparametrisation, into a new Gambier vector field related to a KS2 equation. Indeed,
from (3.2), we see that to do so, we need to impose
gFX = ξ(t)(X3 + ω(t)X1),
for a certain function ω(t) and a function ξ(t) such that ξ(t) 6= 0 for all t ∈ R. Comparing (5.6)
with the above expression, we see that
1
α
dα
dt
− γ
δ
= 0, (5.7)
which, in view of the fact that gα(t),γ(t),δ(t) satisfies
α2
δ
=
a0
a0(0)
, (5.8)
enables us to determine the searched transformations. In fact, fixed a non-vanishing t-dependent
function α with α(0) = 1, the above conditions determine the values of δ and γ of g.
Now, a t-dependent reparametrisation
τ =
∫ t
0
α
δ
dt′ (5.9)
transforms the system associated to gFX into a new system related to X3 + ω(t(τ))X1, where
ω is given by
ω = − δ2
2α2
(
2a2 +
γ
a0δ
da0
dt
− γ2
2δ2
− 1
δ
dγ
dt
+
γ
δ2
dδ
dt
)
. (5.10)
Proposition 5.2. Every Gambier vector field X satisfying a0a1 = da0/dt, n = −2 and σ = 0
is a quasi-Lie system relative to S(WG, VG) that can be transformed into a Lie system associa-
ted to X3 + ω(t)X1, with c0 = −a0(0)2/4 and ω(t) given by (5.10), through a transformation
gα(t),γ(t),δ(t) ∈ G(WG), whose coefficients are given by any solution of (5.7) and (5.8), and the
t-dependent reparametrisation (5.9).
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 13
Note that the transformation gα(t),γ(t),δ(t) can be viewed as a t-dependent change of variables
x̄ = αx and a t-reparametrisation dτ = α/δ dt, i.e.
x̄ = αx, v̄ = γx+ δv,
and, in view of the first condition in (5.7), we see that
dx̄
dτ
=
dα
dτ
x+ α
dx
dτ
= γx+ δv = v̄.
From this and Proposition 5.2, we obtain the following proposition about second-order Gambier
equations.
Corollary 5.1. Every second-order Gambier equation of the form
d2x
dt2
=
3
2x
(
dx
dt
)2
+
1
a0
da0
dt
dx
dt
+
a20
2
x3 − 2a2x (5.11)
can be mapped into a KS2 equation
d2x̄
dτ2
=
3
2x̄
(
dx̄
dτ
)2
+
1
2
a0(0)2x̄3 − δ2
α2
(
2a2 +
γ
a0δ
da0
dt
− 1
2
γ2
δ2
− 1
δ
dγ
dt
+
γ
δ2
dδ
dt
)
x̄ (5.12)
through a t-dependent change of variables x̄(t) = α(t)x(t), where α(t) is any positive function
with α(0) = 1, and a t-reparametrisation τ(t) with dτ = α/δdt, with δ and γ being determined
from α by the relations
δ = α2a0(0)
a0
, γ =
αa0(0)
a0
dα
dt
. (5.13)
6 Constants of motion for second-order Gambier equations
In this section, we obtain constants of motion for second-order Gambier equations. We do so
by analysing the existence of t-independent constants of motion for systems gFX ∈ V0(C∞(R)),
with X being a Gambier vector field. By undoing the t-dependent change of variables g, this
leads to determining constants of motion for a Gambier vector field X and its corresponding
second-order Gambier equation.
Let F : TR0 → R be a t-independent constant of motion for gFX, we have (gFX)tF = 0
for all t ∈ R. This involves that F is a t-independent constant of motion for all successive Lie
brackets of elements of {(gFX)t}t∈R as well as their linear combinations. In other words, F is
a common first-integral for the vector fields V gFX ⊂ V0.
When ω(t) is not a constant, it can be verified that V gFX = V0. Thus, if F is a first-integral
for all these vector fields, it is so for all vector fields contained in the generalised distribution
Dp = 〈(X1)p, (X2)p, (X3)p〉, with p ∈ TR0. Hence, dFp ∈ D◦p, i.e. dFp is incident to all vectors
of Dp. In this case, Dp = TpTR0 for a generic p ∈ TR0, which implies that dFp = 0 at
almost every point. Since F is assumed to be differentiable, we have that F is constant on each
connected component of TR0 and gFX has no non-trivial t-independent constant of motion.
If ω(t) = λ for a real constant λ, then dimDp = 1 at a generic point and it makes sense to
look for non-trivial t-dependent constants of motion for gFX. In view of (5.10), this condition
implies
λ = −a0(0)2α2
2a20
[
2a2 +
1
a0
da0
dt
d logα
dt
− 1
2
(
d logα
dt
)2
− d2 logα
dt2
]
.
14 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
The function F can therefore be obtained by integrating
v
∂F
∂x
+
(
3
2
v2
x
+
a0(0)2
2
x3 + 2λx
)
∂F
∂v
= 0.
In employing the characteristics method [10], we find that F must be constant along the integral
curves of the so-called characteristic system, namely
dx
v
=
dv
3
2
v2
x + a0(0)2
2 x3 + 2λx
.
Let us focus on the region with v 6= 0, i.e. O ≡ {(x, v) ∈ TR0 | v 6= 0}. We obtain from the
previous equations that
dv
dx
=
3
2
v
x
+
a0(0)2
2
x3
v
+ 2λ
x
v
.
Let us focus on the case x > 0; the other case can be obtained in a similar way and leads to the
same result. Multiplying on right and left by v/x and defining w ≡ v2 and z ≡ x2, we obtain
dw
dz
=
3
2
w
z
+
a0(0)2
2
z + 2λ.
As this equation is linear, its general solution can be easily derived to obtain
w(z) =
(
a0(0)2z1/2 − 4λz−1/2 + ξ
)
z3/2,
for an arbitrary real constant ξ. From here, it results
−a0(0)2x+
v2
x3
+
4λ
x
= ξ.
Consequently, F is any function of the form F = F (ξ), for instance,
F = −a0(0)2x+
v2
x3
+
4λ
x
, (x, v) ∈ O.
In principle, F was defined only on O. Nevertheless, as this region is an open and dense subset
of TR0, and in view of the expression for F , we can extend it differentiably to TR0 in a unique
way. Since F is a constant of motion on O, it trivially becomes so on the whole TR0.
Summarising, we have proved the following.
Theorem 6.1. A second-order Gambier equation
d2x
dt2
=
3
2x
(
dx
dt
)2
+
1
a0
da0
dt
dx
dt
+
a20
2
x3 − 2a2x, (6.1)
admits a constant of motion of the form
F = −a0(0)2x̄+
v̄2
x̄3
+
4λ
x̄
, (6.2)
where λ is a real constant, x̄ = αx and v̄ = δdx/dt + γx, with α being a particular positive
solution with α(0) = 1 of
d2 logα
dt2
=
2λa20
a0(0)2α2
+ 2a2 +
1
a0
da0
dt
d logα
dt
− 1
2
(
d logα
dt
)2
(6.3)
and γ, δ are determined from α by means of the conditions (5.13).
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 15
The above proposition can be employed to derive a constant of motion for certain families
of second-order Gambier equations. For instance, if we start by a Gambier equation (6.1) with
a2 = −λa20/a0(0)2, for a certain real constant λ, then α = 1 is a solution of (6.3). In view
of (5.13), γ = 0 and δ = a0(0)/a0. Therefore, Theorem 6.1 establishes that the second-order
Gambier equation (6.1) admits a constant of motion
F = −a0(0)2x+
a0(0)2
a20x
3
(
dx
dt
)2
+
4λ
x
. (6.4)
Consider now a general second-order Gambier equation (6.1) and let us search for a constant
of motion (6.2) with λ = 0. In this case, (6.3) can be brought into a Riccati equation
dw
dt
= 2a2 +
1
a0
da0
dt
w − 1
2
w2,
where w ≡ d logα/dt, whose solutions can be investigated through many methods [19, 22]. The
derivation of a particular solution provides a constant of motion for the second-order Gambier
equation (6.1) that can be obtained through the previous theorem. Additionally, this particular
solution can be used to obtain the general solution of the Riccati equation [9, 19], which in turns
could be used to derive new constants of motion for the second-order Gambier equation (6.1).
Note that all the above procedure depends deeply on the fact that λ is a constant. Recall
that if λ is not a constant, then gFX does not admit any t-independent constant of motion.
Nevertheless, other methods can potentially be applied in this case. For instance, using that
S(V0, V0) is a quasi-Lie scheme, we can derive the group G(V0) of this scheme and to use an
element h ∈ G(V0) to transform gFX into other Lie system hFgFX of the same type, e.g.
another of the form hFgFX = ξ2(t)(c1X1 + c2X2 + c3X3), with c1, c2, c3 ∈ R, the vector fields
X1, X2, X3 are those of (5.1), and ξ2(t) is any t-dependent nonvanishing function. As this
system is, up to a t-parametrization, a t-independent vector field, it admits a local t-independent
constant of motion. By inverting the t-dependent changes of variables h and g, it gives rise to
a t-dependent constant of motion of X and the corresponding second-order Gambier equation.
7 Second-order Gambier and Milne–Pinney equations
Consider the KS2 equation (5.12) with x > 0 (we can proceed analogously for the case x < 0).
The change of variables x = 1/y2, with y > 0, transforms it into a Milne–Pinney equation [52]
d2y
dτ2
= −ω(t(τ))y − a0(0)2
4y3
. (7.1)
These equations admit a description in terms of a Lie system related to a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie
algebra isomorphic to sl(2,R) [12, 56]. This was employed in several works to describe their
general solutions in terms of particular solutions of the same or others differential equations,
e.g. Riccati equations and t-dependent harmonic oscillators [9].
Previous results allow us to describe the general solution of (5.11) in terms of particular
solutions of Riccati equations or t-dependent frequency harmonic oscillators. Indeed, in view of
Corollary 5.1, these equations can be transformed into a KS2 equation through a t-dependent
change of variables x̄(t) = α(t)x(t) and a t-reparametrisation dτ = (α/δ) dt. In turn, y = 1/
√
x̄
transforms (5.12) into (7.1), whose general solution y(t) can be written as [12]
y(τ) =
√
k1z21(τ) + k2z22(τ) + 2C(k1, k2,W )z1(τ)z2(τ),
16 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
where C2(k1, k2,W ) = k1k2 +a0(0)2/(4W 2), the functions z1(τ), z2(τ) are two linearly indepen-
dent solutions of the system
d2z
dτ2
= −ω(t(τ))z,
and W is the Wronskian related to such solutions. Inverting previous changes of variables, the
general solution for any second-order Gambier equation (6.1) reads
x(t) = α−1
[
k1z
2
1(τ(t)) + k2z
2
2(τ(t))± 2
√
k1k2 + a0(0)2/(4W 2)z1(τ(t))z2(τ(t))
]−1
.
Therefore, we have proved the following proposition:
Proposition 7.1. The general solution of a second-order Gambier equation
d2x
dt2
=
3
2x
(
dx
dt
)2
+
1
a0
da0
dt
dx
dt
+
a20
2
x3 − 2a2x, (7.2)
can be brought into the form
x(t) = α−1
[
k1z
2
1(τ(t)) + k2z
2
2(τ(t))± 2
√
k1k2 + a0(0)2/(4W 2)z1(τ(t))z2(τ(t))
]−1
,
where z1(τ) and z2(τ) are particular solutions of the τ -dependent harmonic oscillator
d2z
dτ2
= −ω(t(τ))z = − δ2
2α2
(
2a2 +
γ
a0δ
da0
dt
− 1
2
γ2
δ2
− 1
δ
dγ
dt
+
γ
δ2
dδ
dt
)
z,
and W = z1 dz2/dτ − z2 dz1/dτ , with dτ = α/δ dt and α, δ and γ certain t-dependent functions
satisfying (5.13).
Many other similar results can be obtained in an analogous manner. For instance, the theo-
ry of Lie systems was also used in [12] to prove that the general solution of a Milne–Pinney
equation (7.1) can be written as
y(τ) =
√
[k1(x1(τ)− x2(τ))− k2(x1(τ)− x3(τ))]2 − a0(0)2[x2(τ)− x3(τ)]/4
(k2 − k1)(x2(τ)− x3(τ))(x2(τ)− x1(τ))(x1(τ)− x3(τ))
,
where x1(τ), x2(τ) and x3(τ) are three different particular solutions of the Riccati equation
dx
dτ
= −ω(t(τ))− x2.
Proceeding as before, we can describe the general solution of a second-order Gambier equa-
tion (7.2) in terms of solutions of these Riccati equations. In addition, by applying the theory
of Lie systems [19] to Milne–Pinney equations (7.1), we can obtain many other results about
subfamilies of second-order Gambier equations. In addition, the relation between second-order
Gambier equations and Milne–Pinney equations enables us to obtain several other results in
a simple way.
Proposition 7.2. The second-order Gambier equation (5.11) with 2a2 = a20 > 0, i.e.
d2x
dt2
=
3
2x
(
dx
dt
)2
+
1
a0
da0
dt
dx
dt
+
a20
2
x3 − a20x, (7.3)
can be transformed into the integrable Milne–Pinney equation
d2y
dτ2
− y
2
+
1
4y3
= 0 (7.4)
under the transformation x = 1/y2 and a t-reparametrisation dτ = a0dt.
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 17
Note 7.1. For second-order Gambier equations (5.11) with a0 = 0, the transformations given
in the above proposition map these equations into harmonic oscillators.
Proposition 7.3. A constant of motion of (7.4) is given by
IMP =
1
2
[(
dy
dτ
)2
−
(
y2
2
+
1
4y2
)]
.
Using y = x−1/2 transformation, we obtain a constant of motion for the special second-order
Gambier equation (7.3) of the form
I2G =
1
4
1
x3a20
(
dx
dt
)2
−
(
1
2x
+
x
4
)
. (7.5)
Thus, we say the special equation (7.3), which yields a constant of motion, is an integrable
deformation of the Milne–Pinney equation.
Note 7.2. Recall that Theorem 6.1 can be applied to those equations (5.11) where a2 =
−λa20/a20(0) giving rise to the constant of motion (6.4). Observe that (7.3) is of this type
with λ = −a0(0)2/2. Then, the constant of motion (6.4) is, up to a multiplicative constant, the
same as (7.5). Despite this, the above illustrates how certain results can readily be obtained
through Milne–Pinney equations.
8 A second quasi-Lie schemes approach
to second-order Gambier equations
Apart from our first approach, we can provide a second quasi-Lie scheme to study second-order
Gambier equations. This one is motivated by the fact that some cases of these equations, namely
d2x
dt2
= −
(
3x
dx
dt
+ x3
)
+ f(t) + g(t)x+ h(t)
(
x2 +
dx
dt
)
,
for arbitrary t-dependent functions f , g and h, form a particular subclass of second-order Riccati
equations that are SODE Lie systems [13, 16]. That is, when written as first-order systems
dx
dt
= v,
dv
dt
= −
(
3xv + x3
)
+ f(t) + g(t)x+ h(t)
(
x2 + v
)
, (8.1)
they become Lie systems. Indeed, these systems possess a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra V0
isomorphic to sl(3,R) given by [10, 29]
X1 = v
∂
∂x
−
(
3xv + x3
) ∂
∂v
, X2 =
∂
∂v
, X3 = − ∂
∂x
+ 3x
∂
∂v
,
X4 = x
∂
∂x
− 2x2
∂
∂v
, X5 =
(
v + 2x2
) ∂
∂x
− x
(
v + 3x2
) ∂
∂v
,
X6 = 2x
(
v + x2
) ∂
∂x
+ 2
(
v2 − x4
) ∂
∂v
, X7 =
∂
∂x
− x ∂
∂v
, X8 = 2x
∂
∂x
+ 4v
∂
∂v
.
In terms of these vector fields, (8.1) is the associated system to the t-dependent vector field
X1 + f(t)X2 +
1
2
g(t)(X3 +X7) +
h(t)
4
(−2X4 +X8).
18 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
Table 2. Lie brackets [Yi, Yj ] with i = 4, 8, 11 and j = 12, . . . , 17.
[·, ·] Y12 Y13 Y14 Y15 Y16 Y17
Y4 0 0 Y14 0 −Y16 Y17
Y8 −Y9 −Y7 Y13 − Y3 −Y6 0 2Y3
Y11 −Y12 Y13 0 2Y15 4Y16 0
Therefore, it is natural to analyse which Gambier vector fields X can be transformed through
a quasi-Lie scheme into one of these Lie systems.
Despite the interest of the previous idea, the quasi-Lie scheme provided in the previous section
cannot be employed to determine all quasi-Lie systems of this type. The reason is that V0 is
not included in VG and, therefore, there exists no g ∈ G(WG) such that gFX ∈ V0(C∞(R)) ⊂
VG(C∞(R)). To solve this drawback, we now determine a new quasi-Lie scheme S(WG, V
′
G) such
that the space V ′G contains VG + V0. This can be done by defining V ′G as the R-linear space
generated by the elements of VG and the vector fields
Y12 =
∂
∂x
, Y13 = x2
∂
∂x
, Y14 = xv
∂
∂x
,
Y15 = x3
∂
∂x
, Y16 = x4
∂
∂v
, Y17 = v2
∂
∂v
.
Indeed, using Tables 1 and 2, we readily obtain that [WG, V
′
G] ⊂ V ′G. Moreover, as we already
know that WG is a Lie algebra, S(WG, V
′
G) becomes a quasi-Lie scheme.
Since we impose that gFX, which is given by (4.2), must be of the form (8.1) up to a t-
reparametrisation, we obtain
gFX =
11∑
α=1
b̄α(t)Yα = ξ(t) [(Y1 − 3Y3 − Y6) + f(t)Y9 + g(t)Y8 + h(t)(Y7 + Y4)] , (8.2)
for a certain t-dependent non-vanishing function ξ(t). Taking into account that the vector fields
Y1, . . . , Y11 are linearly independent over R, we see that
b̄2 = 0, b̄5 = 0, b̄10 = 0, b̄11 = 0.
Bearing in mind the form of the coefficients b̄α given by (4.3) and recalling that α > 0, we see
that b̄2 = 0 entails n = 1. Meanwhile, conditions b̄5 = 0 and b̄11 = 0 entail σ = 0 and
1
α
dα
dt
=
γ
δ
, (8.3)
respectively. In turn, σ = 0 also entails that b̄9 = b̄10 = 0. Moreover, from (8.2) we also see that
b̄3 = −3b̄1, b̄6 = −b̄1, b̄7 = b̄4.
From these conditions and n = 1, σ = 0, we obtain
a0
α
= −α
δ
,
a20δ
α3
=
α
δ
,
1
δ
dδ
dt
=
2γ
δ
− 1
a0
da0
dt
. (8.4)
Since δ, α > 0, it can readily be seen that the second equation is an immediate consequence
of the first one, which in turn implies a0 = −α2/δ. Using that δ(0) = α(0) = 1, we obtain
a0(0) = −1. Previous results along with (8.3) ensure that the last condition in (8.4) holds.
Hence, b̄1, b̄4 and b̄8 become
b̄1 = −a0
α
, b̄4 = a1 −
1
a0
da0
dt
+
3
α
dα
dt
,
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 19
b̄8 = −a2α
a0
+
a1
a0
dα
dt
+
2
a0α
(
dα
dt
)2
− 1
a0
d2α
dt2
, (8.5)
and the remaining coefficients b̄α are either zero or can be obtained from them.
Proposition 8.1. Every Gambier vector field X is a quasi-Lie system relative to the quasi-Lie
scheme S(WG, V
′
G) and the Lie algebra V0 if and only if n = 1, a0(0) = −1 and σ = 0. In such
a case, every t-dependent transformation g ∈ G(WG) given by
x̄ = αx, v̄ = − α
a0
(
dα
dt
x+ αv
)
, (8.6)
transforms X into a Lie system
dx̄
dτ
= v̄,
dv̄
dτ
= −3x̄v̄ − x̄3 + b̄4b̄
−1
1 x̄+ b̄8b̄
−1
1
(
x̄2 + v̄
)
, (8.7)
where dτ = −a0dt/α and b̄1, b̄4 and b̄8 are given by (8.5).
9 Exact solutions for several second-order Gambier equations
As a result of Proposition 8.1, we can apply to (8.7) the techniques of the theory of Lie systems so
as to devise, by inverting the change of variables (8.6), new properties of the Gambier equations
related to second-order Riccati equations. For instance, we obtain new exact solutions of some
of these families of second-order Gambier equations.
In the study of every Lie system, special relevance takes the algebraic structure of its Vessiot–
Guldberg Lie algebras. When a Lie system possesses a solvable Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra,
we can apply several methods to explicitly integrate it (cf. [9, 13, 19]). Otherwise, the general
solution of the Lie system usually needs to be obtained through approximative methods [51] or
expressed in terms of solutions of other Lie systems [12].
System (8.7) is a special case of a Lie system related to a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra V0 iso-
morphic to sl(3,R), which is simple and therefore difficult to integrate explicitly. Nevertheless,
we can prove that (8.7) is in general related to a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra that is a proper
Lie subalgebra of V0. Moreover, we next prove that X is related to a solvable Vessiot–Guldberg
Lie algebra in some particular cases that can be explicitly integrated.
System (8.7) describes the integral curves of the t-dependent vector field
Xt = Z1 + b̄4b̄
−1
1 Z2 + b̄8b̄
−1
1 Z3.
For generic t-dependent functions b̄1, b̄4 and b̄8, the above system admits a Vessiot–Guldberg
Lie algebra spanned by Z1 = X1, Z2 = (X3 + X7)/2, Z3 = (X8 − 2X4)/4 and their successive
Lie brackets, which generates a proper Lie subalgebra V of V0. More specifically, we first have
[Z1, Z2] = Z3 − Z4, [Z1, Z3] = −(Z1 + Z5)/2, [Z1, Z5] = Z6,
where Z4 = X4, Z5 = X5, Z6 = X6. This shows that the smallest Lie algebra containing Z1, Z2
and Z3 must include these vector fields and Z4, Z5 and Z6. Since these vector fields additionally
satisfy the following commutation relations
[Z1, Z4] = Z5, [Z3, Z4] = 0, [Z1, Z6] = 0, [Z2, Z3] = Z2, [Z2, Z4] = −Z2,
[Z2, Z5] = Z4 − Z3, [Z2, Z6] = Z5 − Z1, [Z3, Z5] = (Z5 + Z1)/2, [Z3, Z6] = Z6,
[Z4, Z5] = −Z1, [Z4, Z6] = 0, [Z5, Z6] = 0,
20 J.F. Cariñena, P. Guha and J. de Lucas
we see that they span a six-dimensional proper Lie subalgebra V of V0. Moreover, it is easy to
show that V ' 〈Z1 +Z5, Z3−Z4, Z2〉 ⊕S 〈Z6, Z1−Z5, Z3 +Z4〉, where 〈Z1 +Z5, Z3−Z4, Z2〉 '
sl(2,R), namely
[Z1 + Z5, Z3 − Z4] = −2(Z1 + Z5),
[Z2, Z3 − Z4] = 2Z2, [Z1 + Z5, Z2] = 2(Z3 − Z4),
the linear space 〈Z6, Z1 −Z5, Z3 +Z4〉 is a solvable ideal of V and ⊕S stands for the semidirect
sum of 〈Z1 + Z5, Z3 − Z4, Z2〉 by 〈Z6, Z1 − Z5, Z3 + Z4〉.
Hence, X is related to a non-solvable Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra and it is not known
a general method to explicitly integrate X for arbitrary b̄1, b̄4 and b̄8. Nevertheless, we can
focus on a particular instance of these functions so that X can be related to a solvable Vessiot–
Guldberg Lie algebra V1. For example, consider the case b̄4 = 0. We then have
V1 = 〈Z1, Z3, Z1 + Z5, Z6〉.
Note that the derived series of V1 become zero, i.e. D1 ≡ [V1, V1] = 〈Z1 + Z5, Z6〉, D2 = 0. In
other words, V1 is solvable and we can expect to integrate it through some method. Let us do
so through the so-called mixed superposition rules, i.e. a generalisation of superposition rules
describing the general solution of a Lie system in terms of several particular solutions of other
systems and a set of constants [29]. In our case, it is known (cf. [29, p. 194]) that the general
solution of (8.7) can be written in the form
x̄(τ) =
λ1vy1(τ) + λ2vy2(τ) + λ3vy3(τ)
λ1y1(τ) + λ2y2(τ) + λ3y3(τ)
, v̄(τ) =
d
dτ
(
λ1vy1(τ) + λ2vy2(τ) + λ3vy3(τ)
λ1y1(t) + λ2y2(τ) + λ3y3(τ)
)
,
where (λ1, λ2, λ3) ∈ R3 − {(0, 0, 0)} and (yi(τ), vyi(τ), ayi(τ)), with i = 1, 2, 3, are linearly
independent solutions of the linear Lie system
dy
dτ
= vy,
dvy
dτ
= ay,
day
dτ
= b̄8b̄
−1
1 ay.
The above Lie system is related to a Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra spanned by
W1 = vy
∂
∂y
+ ay
∂
∂vy
, W2 = ay
∂
∂ay
, W3 = 2ay
∂
∂vy
, W4 = −2ay
∂
∂y
,
which close the same commutation relations as Z1, Z3, Z1 + Z5 and Z6. Hence, this system is
related to a solvable Vessiot–Guldberg Lie algebra and it can easily be integrated:
ay = exp
(∫ τ
b̄8(τ
′)b̄−11 (τ ′)dτ ′
)
, vy =
∫ τ
ay(τ
′)dτ ′, y =
∫ τ
vy(τ
′)dτ ′.
Since we can assume
λ1y1(τ) + λ2y2(τ) + λ3y3(τ) =
∫ τ ∫ τ ′
exp
(∫ τ ′′
b̄8(τ
′′′)b̄−11 (τ ′′′)dτ ′′′
)
dτ ′′dτ ′,
we obtain the solution of (8.7) for b̄4 = 0, i.e.
x̄(τ) =
∫ τ
exp
(∫ τ ′
b̄8(τ
′′)b̄−11 (τ ′′)dτ ′′
)
dτ ′∫ τ ∫ τ ′
exp
(∫ τ ′′
b̄8(τ ′′′)b̄
−1
1 (τ ′′′)dτ ′′′
)
dτ ′′dτ ′
, v̄(τ) =
dx̄
dτ
(τ).
From above results, we have the following proposition.
A Quasi-Lie Schemes Approach to Second-Order Gambier Equations 21
Proposition 9.1. Given a second-order Gambier equation with n = 1, a0(0) = −1, σ = 0 and
a particular solution α(t) with α(0) = 1 of
a1 =
1
a0
da0
dt
− 3
α
dα
dt
, (9.1)
its general solution reads
x(τ(t)) =
1
α(τ(t))
∫ τ(t)
exp
(∫ τ ′
b̄8(τ
′′)b̄−11 (τ ′′)dτ ′′
)
dτ ′∫ τ(t) ∫ τ ′
exp
(∫ τ ′′
b̄8(τ ′′′)b̄
−1
1 (τ ′′′)dτ ′′′
)
dτ ′′dτ ′
,
where dτ = −a0dt/α and b̄1 and b̄8 are given by (8.5).
Note 9.1. Since equation (9.1) can be easily integrated, the above proposition shows that we
can integrate exactly every second-order Gambier equation with n = 1, a0(0) = −1 and σ = 0.
10 Conclusions
Two quasi-Lie schemes have been introduced to analyse the second-order Gambier equations.
Our first quasi-Lie scheme has been used to recover previous results concerning the reduction of
such equations to reduced canonical forms from a geometric clarifying approach, which allowed
us to fill a gap in the previous literature. This quasi-Lie scheme also led to determine some quasi-
Lie systems related to certain second-order Gambier equations, which enabled us to transform
them into second-order Kummer–Schwarz equations. We have expressed the general solutions of
such second-order Gambier equations in terms of particular solutions of t-dependent frequency
harmonic oscillators and Riccati equations. Additionally, new constants of motion were derived
for some of them.
The introduction of a second quasi-Lie scheme resulted in the description of an integrable
family of second-order Gambier equations related to second-order Riccati equations.
Acknowledgements
The research of J.F. Cariñena and J. de Lucas was supported by the Polish National Science
Centre under the grant HARMONIA Nr 2012/04/M/ST1/00523. They also acknowledge partial
financial support by research projects MTM–2009–11154 (MEC) and E24/1 (DGA). J. de Lucas
would like to thank for a research grant FMI40/10 (DGA) to accomplish a research stay in the
University of Zaragoza.
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1 Introduction
2 Fundamentals
3 A new quasi-Lie scheme for investigating second-order Gambier equations
4 Transformation properties of second-order Gambier equations
5 Quasi-Lie systems and Gambier equations
6 Constants of motion for second-order Gambier equations
7 Second-order Gambier and Milne-Pinney equations
8 A second quasi-Lie schemes approach to second-order Gambier equations
9 Exact solutions for several second-order Gambier equations
10 Conclusions
References
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