Self-duality and the Supersymmetric KdV Hierarchy

Abstract

We show how the supersymmetric KdV equation can be obtained from the self-duality condition on Yang-Mills fields in four dimension associated with the graded Lie algebra OSp(2/1). We also obtain the hierarchy of Susy KdV equations from such a condition. We formulate the Susy KdV hierarchy as a vanishing curvature condition associated with the U(1) group and show how an Abelian self-duality condition in four dimension can also lead to these equations.