Centrally Extended W_{1+\infty} and the KP Hierarchy

Abstract

It is well known that the centerless W_{1+\infty} algebra provides a hamiltonian structure for the KP hierarchy. In this letter we address the question whether the centerful version plays a similar rôle in any related integrable system. We find that, surprisingly enough, the centrally extended W_{1+\infty} algebra yields yet another Poisson structure for the same standard KP hierarchy. This is proven by explicit construction of the infinitely many new hamiltonians in closed form.