Provenance of Type II hidden symmetries from nonlinear partial differential equations

Abstract

The provenance of Type II hidden point symmetries of differential equations reduced from nonlinear partial differential equations is analyzed. The hidden symmetries are extra symmetries in addition to the inherited symmetries of the differential equations when the number of independent and dependent variables is reduced by a Lie point symmetry. These Type II hidden symmetries do not arise from contact symmetries or nonlocal symmetries as in the case of ordinary differential equations. The Lie point symmetries of a model equation and the two-dimensional Burgers’ equation and their descendants are used to identify the hidden symmetries. The significant new result is the provenance of the Type II Lie point hidden symmetries found for differential equations reduced from partial differential equations. Two methods for determining the source of the hidden symmetries are developed.