Symmetry Reductions and Group-Invariant Radial Solutions to the n-Dimensional Wave Equation

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we derive explicit group-invariant radial solutions to a class of wave equation via symmetry group method. The optimal systems of one-dimensional subalgebras for the corresponding radial wave equation are presented in terms of the known point symmetries. The reductions of the radial wave equation into second-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with respect to each symmetry in the optimal systems are shown. Then we solve the corresponding reduced ODEs explicitly in order to write out the group-invariant radial solutions for the wave equation. Finally, several analytical behaviours and smoothness of the resulting solutions are discussed.