Superposition of Elliptic Functions as Solutions For a Large Number of Nonlinear Equations

Abstract

For a large number of nonlinear equations, both discrete and continuum, we demonstrate a kind of linear superposition. We show that whenever a nonlinear equation admits solutions in terms of both Jacobi elliptic functions $\cn(x,m)$ and $\dn(x,m)$ with modulus $m$, then it also admits solutions in terms of their sum as well as difference. We have checked this in the case of several nonlinear equations such as the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation, MKdV, a mixed KdV-MKdV system, a mixed quadratic-cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation, the Ablowitz-Ladik equation, the saturable nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation, $\lambda \phi^4$, the discrete MKdV as well as for several coupled field equations. Further, for a large number of nonlinear equations, we show that whenever a nonlinear equation admits a periodic solution in terms of $\dn^2(x,m)$, it also admits solutions in terms of $\dn^2(x,m) \pm \sqrt{m} \cn(x,m) \dn(x,m)$, even though $\cn(x,m) \dn(x,m)$ is not a solution of these nonlinear equations. Finally, we also obtain superposed solutions of various forms for several coupled nonlinear equations.