Integrable sigma-models and Drinfeld–Sokolov hierarchies Original Research Article

Local commuting charges in sigma-models with classical Lie groups as target manifolds are shown to be related to the conserved quantities appearing in the Drinfeld–Sokolov (generalized mKdV) hierarchies. Conversely, the Drinfeld–Sokolov construction can be used to deduce the existence of commuting charges in these and in wider classes of sigma-models, including those whose target manifolds are exceptional groups or symmetric spaces. This establishes a direct link between commuting quantities in integrable sigma-models and in affine Toda field theories.