Geometric characterization of separable second-order differential equations

Abstract

AbstractWe establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the separability of a system of second-order differential equations into independent one-dimensional second-order equations. The characterization of this property is given in terms of geometrical objects which are directly related to the system and relatively easy to compute. The proof of the main theorem is constructive and thus yields a practical procedure for constructing coordinates in which the system decouples.