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In a recent work [1,2] Sjöberg remarked that generalization of the double reduction theory to partial differential equations of higher dimensions is still an open problem. In this note we have attempted to provide this generalization to find invariant solution for a non linear system of qth order partial differential equations with n independent and m dependent variables provided that the non linear system of partial differential equations admits a nontrivial conserved form which has at least one associated symmetry in every reduction. In order to give an application of the procedure we apply it to the nonlinear (2 + 1) wave equation for arbitrary function f (u) and g (u).

Symmetries of spacetime manifolds which are given by Killing vectors are compared with the symmetries of the Lagrangians of the respective spacetimes. We find the point generators of the one parameter Lie groups of transformations that leave invariant the action integral corresponding to the Lagrangian (Noether symmetries). In the examples considered, it is shown that the Noether symmetries obtained by considering the Larangians provide additional symmetries which are not provided by the Killing vectors. It is conjectured that these symmetries would always provide a larger Lie algebra of which the KV symmetres will form a subalgebra.

The complete symmetry group classification of the fourth-order Euler–Bernoulli ordinary differential equation, where the elastic modulus and the area moment of inertia are constants and the applied load is a function of the normal displacement, is obtained. We perform the Lie and Noether symmetry analysis of this problem. In the Lie analysis, the principal Lie algebra which is one dimensional extends in four cases, viz. the linear, exponential, general power law, and a negative fractional power law. It is further shown that two cases arise in the Noether classification with respect to the standard Lagrangian. That is, the linear case for which the Noether algebra dimension is one less than the Lie algebra dimension as well as the negative fractional power law. In the latter case the Noether algebra is three dimensional and is isomorphic to the Lie algebra which is sl(2,R). This exceptional case, although admitting the nonsolvable algebra sl(2,R), remarkably allows for a two-parameter family of exact solutions via the Noether integrals. The Lie reduction gives a second-order ordinary differential equation which has nonlocal symmetry.

Ricci collineations for the Ricci tensor which is constructed from a general spherically symmetric and static metric are classified for all possibilities of Rab(r) (such that Rab≠0 for a=b). It turns out that the only collineations admitted by this tensor can be ten, six, or four and there does not appear any case in between.

A similarity analysis of a nonlinear fin equation has been carried out by M. Pakdemirli and A.Z. Sahin [Similarity analysis of a nonlinear fin equation, Appl. Math. Lett. (2005) (in press)]. Here, we consider a further group theoretic analysis that leads to an alternative set of exact solutions or reduced equations with an emphasis on travelling wave solutions, steady state type solutions and solutions not appearing elsewhere.

In a recent study Noether symmetries of some static spacetime metrics in comparison with Killing vectors of corresponding spacetimes were studied. It was shown that Noether symmetries provide additional conservation laws that are not given by Killing vectors. In an attempt to understand how Noether symmetries compare with conformal Killing vectors, we find the Noether symmetries of the flat Friedmann cosmological model. We show that the conformally transformed flat Friedman model admits additional conservation laws not given by the Killing or conformal Killing vectors. Inter alia, these additional conserved quantities provide a mechanism to twice reduce the geodesic equations via the associated Noether symmetries.

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