Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900

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Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cnsns

Review

On ‘‘new travelling wave solutions” of the KdV and the

KdV–Burgers equations
Nikolai A. Kudryashov *
Department of Applied Mathematics, Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute (State university), 31 Kashirskoe Shosse, 115409 Moscow, Russian Federation

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The Korteweg-de Vries and the Korteweg-de Vries–Burgers equations are considered.
Received 21 September 2008 Using the travelling wave the general solutions of these equations are presented. ‘‘New
Accepted 23 September 2008 travelling wave solutions” of the KdV and the KdV–Burgers equations by Wazzan [Wazzan
Available online 8 October 2008
L. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 2009;14:443–50] are analyzed. We demonstrate
that all his solutions are not new and are transformed to known solutions.
PACS: Ó 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
02.30.Hq

Keywords:
Nonlinear evolution equation
Korteweg-de Vries equation
Korteweg-de Vries–Burgers equation
General solution
Travelling wave
Exact solution

Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1891
2. General solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries equation in the travelling wave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1892
3. ‘‘New travelling wave solutions’’ of the Korteweg-de Vries equation by Wazzan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1895
4. Application of the simplest equation method to the Korteweg-de Vries equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1896
5. Exact solutions of the KdV–Burgers equation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1897
6. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1899
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1899

1. Introduction

The Korteweg-de Vries equation takes the form

ut þ 6uux þ uxxx ¼ 0: ð1:1Þ
Eq. (1.1) was discovered in 1895 in [2] by Korteweg and de Vries but this equation was forgotten during a long time. When
great Martin D. Kruskal obtained Eq. (1.1) from the Fermi–Pasta–Ulam model [3], at the beginning he thought that he found a

* Tel./fax: +7 0953241181.
E-mail address: kudryashov@mephi.ru

1007-5704/$ - see front matter Ó 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.cnsns.2008.09.020
1892 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900

new nonlinear partial differential equation. He was glad but he decided to ask specialists from the department of hydrody-
namics about this equation and they told him about the work by Korteweg and de Vries [3]. Now Eq. (1.1) is the most known
nonlinear partial differential equation.
Eq. (1.1) is integrable and the Cauchy problem for this equation can be solved by the inverse scattering transform [4–6].
Certainly there are many different exact solutions of Eq. (1.1). This equation has soliton, rational and elliptic solutions [7–11].
Recently Wazzan [1] made an effort to obtain some new exact solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries equation. He used ‘‘a
modified tanh–coth method to solve the Korteweg-de Vries and the Korteweg-de Vries–Burgers equations”. In fact, the
author [1] considered these equations taking the travelling wave into account. He found 22 solitary wave solutions of the
KdV equation and he believed that 14 of them were new solutions.
The aim of this paper is to analyze these ‘‘new travelling wave solutions” of the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) and the Kor-
teweg-de Vries–Burgers equations and show that these solutions are not new.
The paper is organized as follows. In Section 2 we give the examples of nonlinear partial differential equations with solu-
tions expressed via the solution of the KdV equation. We also present the general solution of the KdV equation in the trav-
elling wave and show that all other travelling wave solutions can be found from this general solution. In Section 3 we analyze
the solitary wave solutions of the KdV equation by Wazzan and demonstrate that his solutions can be transformed to more
simple forms. We observe that all solutions from the list by Wazzan can be obtained from the general solution of the KdV
equation in the travelling wave. In Section 4 we apply the simplest equation method to the KdV equation and obtain all sol-
itary wave solutions from the list by Wazzan as well. In Section 5 we give the general solution of the KdV–Burgers equation
using the travelling wave and obtain all known solitary wave solutions of this equation from the general solution.

2. General solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries equation in the travelling wave

Let us present the general solution of the KdV equation in the travelling wave. Using the variables in Eq. (1.1)
uðx; tÞ ¼ yðnÞ; n ¼ x  xt: ð2:1Þ
and integrating with respect to n, we have the nonlinear ordinary differential equation

ynn þ 3y2  xy þ C 1 ¼ 0; ð2:2Þ

where C 1 is a constant of integration.
Eq. (2.2) is very important and we can observe this equation in studying of many physical applications and many non-
linear partial differential equations. Let us give some examples of nonlinear partial differential equations where Eq. (2.2)
arises.
Example 1. The Boussinesq equation [10,11]

utt þ auuxx þ au2x þ buxxxx ¼ 0; ð2:3Þ

where a and b are constants. Eq. (2.3) was introduced by Boussinesq in 1871 to describe the propagation of long waves in
shallow water. The Boussinesq equation also arises in many other physical applications including nonlinear lattice waves,
vibrations on a nonlinear string and ion sound waves in plasma.
Taking the travelling wave uðx; tÞ ¼ UðnÞ, n ¼ x  C 0 t into account we obtain from Eq. (2.3)

C 20 U nn þ aUU nn þ aU 2n þ bU nnnn ¼ 0: ð2:4Þ

Integrating Eq. (2.4) with respect to n two times we have the second-order ordinary differential equation in the form

a C 20
U nn þ U2 þ U þ C 2 n þ C 3 ¼ 0; ð2:5Þ
2b b
where C 2 and C 3 are constants of integration.
Assuming in Eq. (2.5)
6b
UðnÞ ¼ yðnÞ; ð2:6Þ
a
we have equation

C 20 C2a C3a
ynn þ 3y2 þ yþ nþ ¼ 0: ð2:7Þ
b 6b 6b
At C 2 –0 Eq. (2.7) can be reduced to the first Painleve equation [10,11]

wzz ¼ 3w2 þ z: ð2:8Þ

The Cauchy problem for Eq. (2.8) can be solved by the inverse monodromy transform method [10] but this equation does not
have solutions in the form of classical functions [10–12].
 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900 1893

If we take

C 20 C3a
C 2 ¼ 0; x¼ ; C1 ¼ ; ð2:9Þ
b 6b
we have Eq. (2.2). So, in the case (2.9) we obtain the exact solutions of the Boussinesq equation (2.3) expressed via solutions
of Eq. (2.2) by the formula (2.6).
Example 2. The improved Boussinesq equation [13]

utt  uxx  uuxx  u2x  uxxtt ¼ 0: ð2:10Þ

The solitary wave solutions of Eq. (2.10) were obtained by the Exp-function method [13]. The formulae by the authors
[13] are very cumbersome and we could not check them.
Let us demonstrate that the solitary wave solutions of this equation can be found via solutions of Eq. (2.2). Using the trav-
elling wave uðx; tÞ ¼ UðnÞ and n ¼ x  C 0 t we have from Eq. (2.10)
1
ðC 20  1ÞU nn  ðU 2 Þnn  C 20 U nnnn ¼ 0: ð2:11Þ
2
Integrating Eq. (2.11) with respect to n two times we obtain

1 ðC 20  1Þ C2 C3
U nn þ U2  Uþ nþ ¼ 0: ð2:12Þ
2C 20 C 20 C 20 C 20
C 20 1
Eq. (2.12) at C 2 –0 can be transformed to the first Painleve equation (2.8). Assuming UðnÞ ¼ 6C 20 yðnÞ, x ¼ C 20
C3
and C 1 ¼ 6C 4 at
0
C 2 ¼ 0 we get Eq. (2.2). The solitary wave solutions of Eq. (2.10) is found by the formula

UðnÞ ¼ 6C 20 yðnÞ; ð2:13Þ

where yðnÞ is a solution of Eq. (2.2).
Example 3. The symmetric regular long wave equation [14]
utt þ uxx þ uuxt þ ux ut þ uxxtt ¼ 0: ð2:14Þ
Xu searched for the solitary wave solutions of Eq. (2.14) using the Exp-function method [14]. We have not checked solu-
tions by Xu because they are cumbersome as well but let us show that solutions of Eq. (2.14) can be found via solutions of Eq.
(2.2).
Taking into consideration uðx; tÞ ¼ UðnÞ, where n ¼ x  C 0 t we find from Eq. (2.14)

ðC 20 þ 1ÞU nn  C 0 UU nn  C 0 U 2n þ C 20 U nnnn ¼ 0: ð2:15Þ

Eq. (2.15) can be integrated with respect to n. We obtain

1 2 ðC 20 þ 1Þ
U nn  U þ U þ C 2 n þ C 3 ¼ 0; ð2:16Þ
2C 0 C 20
where C 2 and C 3 are arbitrary constants. Assuming C 2 ¼ 0 and using the variable and the parameters

ð1 þ C 20 Þ C3
U ¼ 6C 0 yðnÞ; x¼ ; C1 ¼  ; ð2:17Þ
C 20 6C 0

we have Eq. (2.2). So, the solutions of Eq. (2.15) can be obtained by
UðnÞ ¼ 6C 0 yðnÞ; ð2:18Þ
where yðnÞ is solution of Eq. (2.2).
Example 4. The generalized shallow water wave equation [15]
uxxtt þ aux uxt þ but uxx  uxt  uxx ¼ 0: ð2:19Þ
The solitary wave solutions of Eq. (2.19) were considered taking the Exp-function method in [15]. Let us demonstrate that
solutions of this equation can be found via the general solution of Eq. (2.2).
Using the travelling wave uðx; tÞ ¼ UðnÞ and n ¼ x  C 0 t we have from Eq. (2.19) the nonlinear ordinary differential equa-
tion in the form

C 20 U nnnn  C 0 ða þ bÞU n U nn  ð1  C 0 ÞU nn ¼ 0: ð2:20Þ

After integration of Eq. (2.20) with respect to n we get the equation
1894 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900

1
C 20 U nnn  C 0 ða þ bÞðU n Þ2  ð1  C 0 ÞU n þ C 2 ¼ 0: ð2:21Þ
2
From Eq. (2.21) we have
ða þ bÞ ð1  C 0 Þ C2
U nnn  ðU n Þ2  2
U n þ 2 ¼ 0: ð2:22Þ
2C 0 C0 C0
Taking the new variable and the parameters into account
6C 0 ð1  C 0 Þ C 2 ða þ bÞ
Un ¼  yðnÞ; x¼ ; C1 ¼  ; ð2:23Þ
ða þ bÞ C 20 6C 30
we have Eq. (2.2) again. Solution of Eq. (2.20) can be found by formula
Z
6C 0
UðnÞ ¼  yðnÞdn; ð2:24Þ
ða þ bÞ
where yðnÞ is solution of Eq. (2.2).
Example 5. The Klein–Gordon equation with quadratic nonlinearity [16]

utt  a2 uxx þ bu  cu2 ¼ 0: ð2:25Þ

Zhang [16] have found the solitary wave solutions by means of the Exp-function method. Let us show that these solutions are
expressed via solutions of Eq. (2.2).
Taking the travelling wave uðx; tÞ ¼ UðnÞ and n ¼ x  C 0 t again we obtain from Eq. (2.25)

ðC 20  a2 ÞU nn þ bU  cU 2 ¼ 0: ð2:26Þ
At C 20 – 2
a Eq. (2.26) can be written in the form
c b
U nn  U2 þ U ¼ 0: ð2:27Þ
ðC 20  a2 Þ ðC 20  a2 Þ
Using new variable and parameter in Eq. (2.27)

3ðC 20  a2 Þ b
UðnÞ ¼  yðnÞ; x¼ ; ð2:28Þ
c ða2  C 20 Þ
we obtain all solutions of Eq. (2.26) expressed via solutions of Eq. (2.2).
The list of equations with solutions expressed via solutions of Eq. (2.2) can be continued but we hope this list is enough to
understand that Eq. (2.2) is important.
Now let us present the general solution of Eq. (2.2). Multiplying Eq. (2.2) by yn and integrating this equation with respect
to n, we have the nonlinear differential equation in the form

y2n þ 2y3  xy2 þ 2C 1 y þ 2C 4 ¼ 0; ð2:29Þ

where C 4 is the second constant of integration.

Assuming that a, b and c (a P b P c) are roots of the algebraic equation
1
y3  xy2 þ C 1 y þ C 4 ¼ 0; ð2:30Þ
2
we can write Eq. (2.29) in the form

y2n ¼ 2ðy  aÞðy  bÞðy  cÞ: ð2:31Þ

The general solution of Eq. (2.29) is expressed via the Jacobi elliptic function [11,17,18]:
(rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi )
ac 2 ab
yðnÞ ¼ b þ ða  bÞcn 2
n; S ; S2 ¼ ; ð2:32Þ
2 ac
where cnðnÞ is the elliptic cosine. The general solution of Eq. (2.32) were first found by Korteweg and de Vries [2].
Comparison of Eq. (2.30) and Eq. (2.31) allows us to find relations between the roots a, b, c and the constants x, C 1 , C 4 in
the form
x
abc ¼ C 4 ; ab þ ac þ bc ¼ C 1 ; a þ b þ c ¼ : ð2:33Þ
2
We have obtained that there are solutions of the Eqs. (2.4), (2.11), (2.15), (2.20) and (2.26) which are expressed via general
solution (2.32).
 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900 1895

Solitary wave solutions of Eq. (2.2) arise when Eq. (2.30) has two equal roots. Wazzan took C 1 ¼ 0 in Eq. (2.2). Assuming
a ¼ b we have two cases of Eq. (2.31) for the solitary waves
 
1
y2n ¼ 2y2 y  x ; ð2:34Þ
2
and
 x2  x
y2n ¼ 2 y  yþ : ð2:35Þ
3 6
So, to find the solitary wave solutions of Eq. (2.29) at C 1 ¼ 0 we need to use two known integrals
Z Z
dy dy
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
  ¼ n; qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
 2   ¼ n: ð2:36Þ
2y y  12 x
2
2 y  x3 y þ x6

Calculating these integrals we obtain the following solitary waves solutions of Eq. (2.29) at C 1 ¼ 0
pffiffiffi
2xC 5 eðn xÞ
y1 ¼   pffiffiffi 2 ; x > 0; ð2:37Þ
1  C5 eðn xÞ
xð1 þ C 25 Þ
y2 ¼  n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
 pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2 ; x < 0; ð2:38Þ
2 cos2 2 x 1  C 5 tan 2n x
x xð1 þ C 25 Þ
y3 ¼  n pffiffiffiffiffi
 pffiffiffiffiffi
2 ; x > 0; ð2:39Þ
3
2 cos2 2 x 1  C 5 tan 2n x
pffiffiffiffiffiffi
x 2xC 5 eðn xÞ
y4 ¼ þ  pffiffiffiffiffiffi 2 ; x < 0; ð2:40Þ
3 1  C 5 eðn xÞ
where C 5 is an arbitrary constant. All solutions by Wazzan can be obtained from solutions Eq. (2.37)–(2.40) if we use differ-
ent values of the constant C 5 and some additional transformations.

3. ‘‘New travelling wave solutions’’ of the Korteweg-de Vries equation by Wazzan

Wazzan [1] has found 22 solitary waves of Eq. (2.2). He has asserted that his 14 solutions are ‘‘new travelling wave solu-
tions”. Below we present these solutions (the formulae after the first sign of equality) by Wazzan. We also give these solu-
tions transformed by us (the formulae after the second sign of equality). We hope these formulae can be useful as the
identities for the hyperbolic and the trigonometric functions. These identities are the following:
x 2x 2x x x
u1 ¼ þ pffiffiffiffiffiffi þ  pffiffiffiffiffiffi 2 ¼ þ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:1Þ
3 en x 1 en x  1 3 2sinh2 n x
2

2x 2x x
u2 ¼  pffiffiffiffiffiffi
  pffiffiffiffiffiffi
x 2 ¼  2 pffiffiffiffiffi

; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:2Þ

1 en e n x  1 2sinh 2n x
x x pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 2 x x
u3 ¼  þ cothfn xg  cschfn xg ¼  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:3Þ
6 2 3 2cosh2 n x
2
x x pffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffi 2 x x
u4 ¼   cotfn xg  cscfn xg ¼  pffiffiffiffiffi
; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:4Þ
6 2 3 2 cos2 2n x
x x pffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffi 2 x x
u5 ¼   tanfn xg  secfn xg ¼   n pffiffiffiffiffi
pffiffiffiffiffi
2 ; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:5Þ
6 2 3 cos x þ sin n x 2 2
x x
u6 ¼ pffiffiffiffiffi ¼ pffiffiffiffiffi
; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:6Þ
coshfn xg þ 1 2cosh2 2n x
x x
u7 ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:7Þ
cosfn xg þ 1 2 cos2 2n x
x x pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 2 x
u8 ¼ þ tanfn xg  secfn xg ¼  n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2 ; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:8Þ
2 2 cos 2 x þ sin 2n x
x x pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 2 x x
u9 ¼  þ cothfn xg  cschfn xg ¼ þ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:9Þ
6 2 3 2sinh2 n x
2
x x pffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffi 2 x x
u10 ¼   cotfn xg  cscfn xg ¼  pffiffiffiffiffi
; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:10Þ
6 2 3 2 sin2 n x
2
1896 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900

x x pffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffi 2 x x

u11 ¼   tanfn xg  secfn xg ¼  pffiffiffiffiffi
pffiffiffiffiffi
2 ; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:11Þ
6 2 3 cos n x  sin n x2 2
x x
u12 ¼  pffiffiffiffiffi ¼ 2 pffiffiffiffiffi

; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:12Þ

coshfn xg  1 2sinh 2n x
x x
u13 ¼  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:13Þ
coshfn xg  1 2 sin2 2n x
x x pffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffi 2 x
u14 ¼ þ tanfn xg  secfn xg ¼ n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
 pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi2 ; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:14Þ
2 2 cos 2 x þ sin 2n x
  
x 2 n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi x x
u15 ¼ 1  3coth x ¼ þ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:15Þ
6 2 3 2sinh2 n x
2
  
x 2 n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi x x
u16 ¼ 1  3tanh x ¼  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:16Þ
6 2 3 2cosh2 n x
2
  
x 2 n
pffiffiffiffiffi x x
u17 ¼ 1 þ 3cot x ¼  pffiffiffiffiffi
; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:17Þ
6 2 3 2 sin2 n x
2
  
x 2 n pffiffiffiffiffi x x
u18 ¼ 1 þ 3 tan x ¼  pffiffiffiffiffi
; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:18Þ
6 2 3 2 cos2 2n xz
  
x 2 n pffiffiffiffiffi x
u19 ¼ csch x ¼ 2 pffiffiffiffiffi

; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:19Þ

2 2 2sinh 2n x
  
x 2 n pffiffiffiffiffi x
u20 ¼ sech x ¼ 2 pffiffiffiffiffi

; x > 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:20Þ

2 2 2cosh 2n x
  
x n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi x
u21 ¼ csc2 x ¼ 2 pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi

; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt; ð3:21Þ

2 2 2 sin 2n x
  
x n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi x
u22 ¼ sec2 x ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
; x < 0; n ¼ x  xt: ð3:22Þ
2 2 2 cos2 2n x
Studying formulae (3.1)–(3.22) we can observe that some of these solutions coincide: u9 ¼ u1 , u12 ¼ u2 , u14 ¼ u8 , u15 ¼ u1 ,
u16 ¼ u3 , u17 ¼ u10 , u18 ¼ u4 , u19 ¼ u2 , u20 ¼ u6 , u21 ¼ u13 and u22 ¼ u7 . The solutions u1 , u2 , u3 , u4 , u5 , u6 , u7 , u8 , u10 , u11 and
u13 are differed but these solutions can be found from solutions (2.37)–(2.40) if we use different values of the constant
C 5 . Assuming C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.40), C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.37), C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.40), C 5 ¼ 0 and C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.39), C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.37), C 5 ¼ 0
and C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.38), C 5 ! 1 and C 5 ¼ 1 in (2.40), C 5 ! 1 in (2.39) we accordingly have the solutions u1 , u2 , u3 , u4 , u5 ,
u6 , u7 , u8 , u10 , u11 and u13 .
The results of our analysis are the following. Wazzan [1] did not find new solitary travelling wave solutions of the KdV
equation. His statement that his solutions u1 ; u2 ; . . . ; u14 are new is not correct.

4. Application of the simplest equation method to the Korteweg-de Vries equation

In [1] Wazzan has used the complicated variant of the simplest equation method to look for the solitary wave solutions of
nonlinear differential equations. He has looked for solutions of the KdV equation using the transformation in the form [19–
23]

yðnÞ ¼ a0 þ a1 Y þ a2 Y 2 þ b1 Y 1 þ b2 Y 2 ; ð4:1Þ

where Y  YðnÞ satisfies the Riccati equation

YðnÞ ¼ A þ BY þ CY 2 : ð4:2Þ

Sometimes using (4.1) and (4.2) we can find new solutions of nonlinear differential equations. We believe that this fact de-
pends on the branches of solutions for the nonlinear differential equations. However the Korteweg-de Vries and the Kor-
teweg-de Vries–Burgers equations are not these cases.
When we started the study of paper [1] we were very surprised why author [1] used formula (4.1) but he did not take
more simple formula

yðnÞ ¼ a0 þ a1 YðnÞ þ a2 YðnÞ2 : ð4:3Þ

Let us demonstrate that taking into account only transformation (4.3), where YðnÞ satisfies the Riccati equation in the form

Y n ¼ Y 2 þ b; ð4:4Þ
we can find solutions (2.37)–(2.40) and consequently all solutions which were found by Wazzan.
 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900 1897

wn
Taking Y ¼ w
into account we have from (4.3)
 2
wn w
yðnÞ ¼ a0 þ a1 þ a2 n : ð4:5Þ
w w
In this case Eq. (4.4) reduced to the second-order linear equation
wnn  bw ¼ 0: ð4:6Þ
Substituting (4.3) (or (4.5)) into Eq. (2.2) and taking Eq. (4.4) (or (4.6)) into account we have the coefficients a0 , a1 , a2 and the
parameter b as following:
4b x x
a2 ¼ 2; a1 ¼ 0; a0 ¼ þ ; b1;2 ¼  : ð4:7Þ
3 6 4
Using these coefficients and the value of the parameter b we have two solutions of Eq. (2.2) at x > 0 in the form

x xðC 21 þ C 22 Þ
U1 ¼   n pffiffiffiffiffi  pffiffiffiffiffi2 ; x > 0; ð4:8Þ
3 2 C 1 sin x þ C 2 cos 2n x
2
2xC 1 C 2
U2 ¼ 
npffiffiffi
 ; x > 0:
n pffiffiffi 2
ð4:9Þ
C 1 e2 x þ C 2 e2 x

In the case x < 0 we have the following values of the coefficients a0 , a1 , a2 and the parameter b
4b x x
a2 ¼ 2; a1 ¼ 0; a0 ¼ þ ; b1;2 ¼  : ð4:10Þ
3 6 4
Taking (4.10) and (4.6) we have two other solutions of Eq. (2.2):

xC 21 þ xC 22
U3 ¼  n pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi2 ; x < 0; ð4:11Þ
2 C 1 sin 2 x þ C 2 cos 2n x
x 2xC 1 C 2
U4 ¼  
n pffiffiffiffiffiffi
 ; x < 0:
npffiffiffiffiffiffi 2
ð4:12Þ
3
C 1 e2 x þ C 2 e2 x


Assuming C 2 ¼ C 5 C 1 in (4.9), (4.10), (4.11) and (4.12) we have U 1 ¼ y3 , U 2 ¼ y1 , U 3 ¼ y2 and U 4 ¼ y4 and consequently we
obtain solutions (2.37)–(2.40). We get all ‘‘new travelling wave solutions” by Wazzan using more simple method. The results
of the application of formula (4.3) (or (4.5)) show that a modified tanh–coth method did not give any new travelling wave
solutions for the KdV equation.

5. Exact solutions of the KdV–Burgers equation

Consider the Korteweg-de Vries–Burgers equation

ut þ uux þ buxxx  auxx ¼ 0: ð5:1Þ
Using the travelling wave uðx; tÞ ¼ yðnÞ, n ¼ x  xt we have from Eq. (5.1) the nonlinear ordinary differential equation
bynnn  aynn þ yyn  xyn ¼ 0: ð5:2Þ
Integrating Eq. (5.2) with respect to n we obtain the second-order equation:
1
bynn  ayn þ y2  xy þ C 6 ¼ 0; ð5:3Þ
2
where C 6 is a constant of integration.
We can meet Eq. (5.3) in studying of other mathematical models. For a example if we consider the Fisher equation
[24–27]
ut ¼ uxx þ cuð1  duÞ; ð5:4Þ
then using the travelling wave uðx; tÞ ¼ UðnÞ and n ¼ x  C 0 t we have the equation from Eq. (5.4)

U nn þ C 0 U n  cdU 2 þ cU ¼ 0: ð5:5Þ
Comparison of Eq. (5.3) and (5.5) points out that these equations coincide at b ¼ 1, a ¼ C 0 , c ¼ x, d ¼  21x and C 6 ¼ 0.
Therefore solutions of Eq. (5.3) and (5.5) are similar.
Let us look for solution of Eq. (5.3) in the form
yðnÞ ¼ b  v ðnÞ; ð5:6Þ
1898 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900

where b is constant which will be found. Substituting (5.6) into (5.3) we have equation
2
1 2 b
bv nn  av n  v þ ðb  xÞv : þ bx   C 6 ¼ 0: ð5:7Þ
2 2
Assuming in (5.7)
2
b
C 6 ¼ bx  ; ð5:8Þ
2
we get equation
a 1 2 ðb  xÞ
v nn  v n  v þ v: ð5:9Þ
b 2b b
Let us search for solution of Eq. (5.9) using the new variable

v ðnÞ ¼ emn WðnÞ; ð5:10Þ

where m is unknown parameter which will be found.
Taking (5.10) into account we have

v n ¼ ðW n  mWÞemn ; v nn ¼ ðm2 W  2mW n þ W nn Þemn : ð5:11Þ

Substituting (5.10) and (5.11) into Eq. (5.9) we obtain the equation
   
a ma b  x 1 mn 2
W nn  2m þ W n þ m2 þ þ W e W ¼ 0: ð5:12Þ
b b b 2b
Suppose
WðnÞ ¼ wðzÞ; z ¼ uðnÞ; ð5:13Þ
we have
 2 2
dz dz d z
W n ¼ wz ; W nn ¼ wzz þ wz : ð5:14Þ
dn dn dn2
Substituting (5.13) and (5.14) into Eq. (5.12) we obtain the equation
 2 2   !  
dz 1 mn 2 d z a dz 2 a bx
wzz  e w þ wz  2m þ þ m þ þ w ¼ 0: ð5:15Þ
dn 2b dn2 b dn b b

Assuming in Eq. (5.15)

 2
dz 1 mn
e ;
¼ ð5:16Þ
dn 12b
2  
d z a dz
¼ 2m þ ; ð5:17Þ
dn2 b dn
a bx
m2 þ m þ ¼ 0; ð5:18Þ
b b
we have equation
wzz ¼ 6w2 : ð5:19Þ
Multiplying Eq. (5.19) by wz and integrating with respect to z, we have
w2z ¼ 4w2  C 7 ; ð5:20Þ
where C 7 is an arbitrary constant. The solution of Eq. (5.20) is found by means of integral
Z
dw
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ¼ z; ð5:21Þ
4w3  C 7
and is expressed via the Weierstrass function
wðzÞ ¼ }ðz þ C 8 ; 0; C 7 Þ ð5:22Þ
with invariants g 2 ¼ 0 and g 3 ¼ C 7 . (C 8 is an arbitrary constant).
From Eq. (5.16) we find zðnÞ in the form
1
zðnÞ ¼ C 9  pffiffiffiffiffiffi emn=2 ; ð5:23Þ
m 3b
 N.A. Kudryashov / Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simulat 14 (2009) 1891–1900 1899

where C 9 is arbitrary constant. Using zðnÞ we obtain from Eqs. (5.17) and (5.18) values m and b
2a 6a2
m¼ ; b¼xþ : ð5:24Þ
5b 25b
Using this value of b we obtain C 6 from Eq. (5.8) in the form
x2 18a4
C6 ¼  : ð5:25Þ
2 625b2
Taking (5.6), (5.10), (5.19), (5.23) and (5.25) into account we have the general solution of Eq. (5.2) in the form
    !
6a2 2an 5b an
yðnÞ ¼ xk þ  exp } C 8  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi exp ; 0; C 7 ;
25b 5b a 12b 5b
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ð5:26Þ
36a4
n ¼ x  xk t; ðk ¼ 1; 2Þ; x1;2 ¼ 2C 6 þ :
625b2

We have not seen exact solution (5.26) of the KdV–Burgers equation in the literature but we cannot tell that this solution is
new. We applied the well known approach [28] and we are sure that some people could find this solution many years ago.
The solitary travelling wave solutions of the KdV–Burgers equation can be obtained from solution (5.26) in the case
C 7 ¼ 0. As this takes place the solution of Eq. (5.20) takes the form
1
wðzÞ ¼ : ð5:27Þ
ðC 8  zÞ2
Using solutions (5.26) and (5.27) we obtain the solitary travelling wave solutions in the form
n o
2an
6a2 exp 5b
ðnÞ ¼ x þ  n o2 : ð5:28Þ
25b an
C 8  p5bffiffiffiffiffiffi exp 5b
a 12b

Solution (5.28) can be transformed to the usual form

6a2 12a2
yðnÞ ¼ x þ   n o2 : ð5:29Þ
25b an
25b 1  C 8 exp  5b

At C 6 ¼ 0 we have for solutions (5.26) and (5.29) x and n in the form

6a2 6a2
x1;2 ¼  ; n¼x t: ð5:30Þ
25b 25b
Solitary wave solutions (5.29) were found twenty years ago in [29] by means of the singular manifold method [30–37]. Solu-
tion (5.29) can also be obtained by the simplest equation method [19–22], by the tanh-function method [38–41] and so on.
Solitary wave solutions (5.29) of the KdV–Burgers equation (5.1) were obtained many times [42–49]. Certainly, new solu-
tions of this equation were not found. Any method cannot give new exact solutions to the KdV–Burgers equation.

6. Conclusion

Let us shortly formulate the results of our paper. We have considered two famous nonlinear evolution equations: the KdV
and the KdV–Burgers equations. We have demonstrated that using the travelling wave one can find the general solutions of
these equations. However, using a modified tanh–coth method Wazzan [1] obtained ‘‘new solitary wave solutions” of the
KdV and the KdV–Burgers equations. We have illustrated that the exact solutions by Wazzan can be transformed to more
simple forms and his solutions coincide with the known solutions of the KdV and the KdV–Burgers equations. We have con-
firmed that using the travelling wave nobody can find new exact solutions of the KdV and the KdV–Burgers equations by any
method.

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