Peakons, R-Matrix and Toda-Lattice

Abstract

The integrability of a family of hamiltonian systems, describing in a particular case the motionof N ``peakons" (special solutions of the so-called Camassa-Holm equation) is established in the framework of the $r$-matrix approach, starting from its Lax representation. In the general case, the $r$-matrix is a dynamical one and has an interesting though complicated structure. However, for a particular choice of the relevant parameters in the hamiltonian (the one corresponding to the pure ``peakons" case), the $r$-matrix becomes essentially constant, and reduces to the one pertaining to the finite (non-periodic) Toda lattice. Intriguing consequences of such property are discussed and an integrable time discretisation is derived.