A systematic method for constructing discrete Painlev\'e equations in the degeneration cascade of the E8_8 group

We present a systematic and quite elementary method for constructing discrete Painlev\'e equations in the degeneration cascade for E$_8^{(1)}$. Starting from the invariant for the autonomous limit of the E$_8^{(1)}$ equation one wishes to study, the method relies on choosing simple homographies that will cast this invariant into certain judiciously chosen canonical forms. These new invariants lead to mappings the deautonomisations of which allow us to build up the entire degeneration cascade of the original mapping. We explain the method on three examples, two symmetric mappings and an asymmetric one, and we discuss the link between our results and the known geometric structure of these mappings.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure

Dynamical Studies of Equations from the Gambier Family

We consider the hierarchy of higher-order Riccati equations and establish their connection with the Gambier equation. Moreover we investigate the relation of equations of the Gambier family to other nonlinear differential systems. In particular we explore their connection to the generalized Ermakov-Pinney and Milne-Pinney equations. In addition we investigate the consequence of introducing Okamoto's folding transformation which maps the reduced Gambier equation to a Li\'enard type equation. Finally the conjugate Hamiltonian aspects of certain equations belonging to this family and their connection with superintegrability are explored

Do All Integrable Evolution Equations Have the Painlev\'e Property?

We examine whether the Painleve property is necessary for the integrability of partial differential equations (PDEs). We show that in analogy to what happens in the case of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) there exists a class of PDEs, integrable through linearisation, which do not possess the Painleve property. The same question is addressed in a discrete setting where we show that there exist linearisable lattice equations which do not possess the singularity confinement property (again in analogy to the one-dimensional case).Comment: Published in SIGMA (Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications) at http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA

Symmetries of Discrete Systems

In this series of lectures presented at the CIMPA Winter School on Discrete Integrable Systems in Pondicherry, India, in February, 2003 we give a review of the application of Lie point symmetries, and their generalizations to the study of difference equations. The overall theme of these lectures could be called "continuous symmetries of discrete equations".Comment: 58 pages, 5 figures, Lectures presented at the Winter School on Discrete Integrable Systems in Pondicherry, India, February 200

Multiplicative equations related to the affine Weyl group E8_8

We derive integrable equations starting from autonomous mappings with a general form inspired by the multiplicative systems associated to the affine Weyl group E$_8^{(1)}$. Five such systems are obtained, three of which turn out to be linearisable and the remaining two are integrable in terms of elliptic functions. In the case of the linearisable mappings we derive nonautonomous forms which contain a free function of the dependent variable and we present the linearisation in each case. The two remaining systems are deautonomised to new discrete Painlev\'e equations. We show that these equations are in fact special forms of much richer systems associated to the affine Weyl groups E$_7^{(1)}$ and E$_8^{(1)}$ respectively.Comment: 9 pages, no figure

Casorati Determinant Solutions for the Discrete Painlev\'e III Equation

The discrete Painlev\'e III equation is investigated based on the bilinear formalism. It is shown that it admits the solutions expressed by the Casorati determinant whose entries are given by the discrete Bessel function. Moreover, based on the observation that these discrete Bessel functions are transformed to the $q$-Bessel functions by a simple variable transformation, we present a $q$-difference analogue of the Painlev\'e III equation.Comment: 16 pages in LaTe