Two-dimensional systems that arise from the Noether classification of Lagrangians on the line

Abstract

Noether-like operators play an essential role in writing down the first integrals for Euler–Lagrange systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The classification of such operators is carried out with the help of analytic continuation of Lagrangians on the line. We obtain the classification of 5, 6 and 9 Noether-like operators for two-dimensional Lagrangian systems that arise from the submaximal and maximal dimensional Noether point symmetry classification of Lagrangians on the line. Cases in which the Noether-like operators are also Noether point symmetries for the systems of two ODEs are mentioned. In particular, the 8-dimensional maximal Noether algebra is remarkably obtained for the simplest system of the free particle equations in two dimensions from the 5-dimensional complex Noether algebra of the standard Lagrangian of the scalar free particle equation. We present the effectiveness of Noether-like operators for the determination of first integrals of systems of two nonlinear differential equations which arise from scalar complex Euler–Lagrange ODEs that admit Noether symmetry.