Long-time asymptotics for the $N_{\infty}$-soliton solution to the KdV equation with two types of generalized reflection coefficients

Abstract

We systematically investigate the long-time asymptotics for the $N_{\infty}$-soliton solution to the KdV equation in the different regions with the aid of the Riemann-Hilbert (RH) problems with two types of generalized reflection coefficients on the interval $\left[\eta_1, \eta_2\right]\in \mathbb{R}^+$: $r_0(\lambda,\eta_0; \beta_0, \beta_1,\beta_2)=\left(\lambda-\eta_1\right)^{\beta_1}\left(\eta_2-\lambda\right)^{\beta_2}\left|\lambda-\eta_0\right|^{\beta_0}\gamma\left(\lambda\right)$, $r_c(\lambda,\eta_0; \beta_1,\beta_2)=\left(\lambda-\eta_1\right)^{\beta_1}\left(\eta_2-\lambda\right)^{\beta_2}\chi_c\left(\lambda, \eta_0\right)\gamma \left(\lambda\right)$, where the singularity $\eta_0\in (\eta_1, \eta_2)$ and $\beta_j>-1$ ($j=0, 1, 2$), $\gamma: \left[\eta_1, \eta_2\right] \to\mathbb{R}^+$ is continuous and positive on $\left[\eta_1, \eta_2\right]$, with an analytic extension to a neighborhood of this interval, and the step-like function $\chi_c$ is defined as $\chi_c\left(\lambda,\eta_0\right)=1$ for $\lambda\in\left[\eta_1, \eta_0\right)$ and $\chi_c\left(\lambda,\eta_0\right)=c^2$ for $\lambda\in\left(\eta_0, \eta_2\right]$ with $c>0, \, c\ne1$. A critical step in the analysis of RH problems via the Deift-Zhou steepest descent technique is how to construct local parametrices around the endpoints $\eta_j$'s and the singularity $\eta_0$. Specifically, the modified Bessel functions of indexes $\beta_j$'s are utilized for the endpoints $\eta_j$'s, and the modified Bessel functions of index $\left(\beta_0\pm 1\right)\left/\right.2$ and confluent hypergeometric functions are employed around the singularity $\eta_0$ if the reflection coefficients are $r_0$ and $r_c$, respectively. This comprehensive study extends the understanding of generalized reflection coefficients and provides valuable insights into the asymptotics of soliton gases.