Two hierarchies of integrable lattice equations associated with a discrete matrix spectral problem

Abstract

Two hierarchies of nonlinear integrable positive and negative lattice models are derived from a discrete spectral problem. The two lattice hierarchies are proved to have discrete zero curvature representations associated with a discrete spectral problem, which also shows that the positive and negative hierarchies correspond to positive and negative power expansions of Lax operators with respect to the spectral parameter, respectively. Moreover, the integrable lattice models in the positive hierarchy are of polynomial type, and the integrable lattice models in the negative hierarchy are of rational type. Further, we construct infinite conservation laws of the positive hierarchy, then, the integrable coupling systems of the positive hierarchy are derived from enlarging Lax pair.