We consider the following case of the 3D inverse problem of dynamics: Given a spatial two-parametric family of curves \(f(x,y,z)=c_{1},g(x,y,z)=c_{2}\), find possibly existing two-dimension potentials under whose action the curves of the family are trajectories for a unit mass particle. First we establish the
conditions which must be fulfilled by the family so that potentials of the form \(w(y,z)\) give rise to the curves of the family, and we present some applications. Then we examine briefly the existence of potentials depending on \((x,z)\), respectively \((x,y)\), which are compatible with the given family.
Authors
Mira Cristiana Anisiu
T. Popoviciu Institute of Numerical Analysis, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
George Bozis
Aristotle University of Thesaloniki, GR-54006, Greece
Two-dimension potentials which generate spatial families of orbits
M.-C. Anisiu ^(1,***){ }^{1, \star} and G. Bozis ^(2){ }^{2}^(1){ }^{1} T. Popoviciu Institute of Numerical Analysis, P. O. Box 68, 400110 Cluj-Napoca, Romania^(2){ }^{2} Aristotle University of Thesaloniki, GR-54006, Greece
Received 2008 Apr 18, accepted 2008 Aug 14
Published online 2009 Apr 17
Key words celestial mechanics - stellar dynamics
We consider the following case of the 3D inverse problem of dynamics: Given a spatial two-parametric family of curves f(x,y,z)=c_(1),g(x,y,z)=c_(2)f(x, y, z)=c_{1}, g(x, y, z)=c_{2}, find possibly existing two-dimension potentials under whose action the curves of the family are trajectories for a unit mass particle. First we establish the conditions which must be fulfilled by the family so that potentials of the form w(y,z)w(y, z) give rise to the curves of the family, and we present some applications. Then we examine briefly the existence of potentials depending on (x,z)(x, z), respectively (x,y)(x, y), which are compatible with the given family.
1 Introduction
The three-dimensional version of the inverse problem of dynamics has already a history of more than 25 years. Following Szebehely's (1974) presentation of the problem in two dimensions, Érdi (1982) was the first to address the 3D problem by considering a monoparametric family of spatial orbits. Seen from this viewpoint, the treatment of the problem is essentially similar to the study of the motion of a particle describing a monoparametric family of (spatial) orbits on a fixed surface (Mertens 1981). There followed studies which put the problem in a more accurate perspective: A two-parametric family of spatial curves is given and the potential giving rise to these curves is required (Bozis 1983; Váradi & Érdi 1983; Bozis & Nakhla 1986; Shorokhov 1988; Puel 1992). At almost the same period, the problem was generalized to account for holonomic systems with nn degrees of freedom (Melis & Borghero 1986; Borghero & Melis 1990).
Assuming that a two-parametric set of orbits
{:(1)f(x","y","z)=c_(1)","quad g(x","y","z)=c_(2)",":}\begin{equation*}
f(x, y, z)=c_{1}, \quad g(x, y, z)=c_{2}, \tag{1}
\end{equation*}
in the Oxyz space can be traced by a material point in the presence of an unknown potential V=V(x,y,z)V=V(x, y, z) with energy dependence function E=E(f,g)E=E(f, g) which is considered to be known, one aims to finding the potential. From its mathematical viewpoint, the problem consists in solving a linear system of two PDEs in the unique unknown function V=V(x,y,z)V=V(x, y, z). It was soon made clear that this problem has no solution unless the 'given' energy function E=E(c_(1),c_(2))E=E\left(c_{1}, c_{2}\right) satisfies certain conditions depending on the given functions f(x,y,z)f(x, y, z) and g(x,y,z)g(x, y, z) (Bozis & Nakhla
1986; Shorokhov 1988). In fact, if some specific conditions are satisfied, the problem admits of a unique solution V=V(x,y,z)V=V(x, y, z), up to an additive and a multiplicative constant.
In a manner analogous to that used in the 2D case, Bozis & Kotoulas (2005) and also Anisiu (2005) eliminated the energy and produced a system of two linear in V(x,y,z)V(x, y, z) PDEs, one of the first and one of the second order (Eqs. (5) and (6) below). If this system is compatible and can be solved for a given family of orbits (1), then the corresponding energy with which each member of the family is being traced can be found (Eq. (7) below).
In this paper we shall deal with these two energy-free PDEs, taking into account that, in spite of their linearity, the above system cannot be treated in a straightforward manner. Further assumptions, regarding either the form of the given orbits or the form of the required potential or both may simplify the problem. This practice was followed by Bozis & Kotoulas (2005) and by Kotoulas & Bozis (2006) and will be followed in the present paper also: We look for two-dimension potentials which can possibly give rise to 3D families of orbits (1), given in advance. We study in detail the case of potentials of the form V=w(y,z)V=w(y, z).
In Sect. 2 we give the general energy-free PDEs of the inverse problem. In Sect. 3 we write down these equations for the case at hand and we pursue their solution by establishing the necessary and sufficient conditions on the 'given' family so that such solutions w=w(y,z)w=w(y, z) do exist. If all types of 2D2 D potentials creating a given family are required, the cases w=w(x,z)w=w(x, z) and w=w(x,y)w=w(x, y) must be studied separately. This can be done, of course, in a manner quite similar to that followed here. In Sect. 4 we examine some special cases exempted at a first step, so that the analysis could continue. In Sect. 5 we apply the theory to two rather broad sets of spatial curves and enrich the library of the ex-
isting examples. Finally, in Sect. 6 we discuss shortly the case w=w(x,z)w=w(x, z) of 2D potentials and we comment on the case w=w(x,y)w=w(x, y).
2 The energy-free equations of the spatial inverse problem of dynamics
In a three-dimensional frame we deal with two-parametric families of orbits written in the form (1), which are in an one-to-one correspondence with a pair ( alpha,beta\alpha, \beta ) of 'slope functions' defined by alpha=(f_(z)g_(x)-f_(x)g_(z))/(f_(y)g_(z)-f_(z)g_(y)),quad beta=(f_(x)g_(y)-f_(y)g_(x))/(f_(y)g_(z)-f_(z)g_(y))\alpha=\frac{f_{z} g_{x}-f_{x} g_{z}}{f_{y} g_{z}-f_{z} g_{y}}, \quad \beta=\frac{f_{x} g_{y}-f_{y} g_{x}}{f_{y} g_{z}-f_{z} g_{y}}.
The indices denote partial derivatives. Equations (1) then constitute the general solution of the ODE system (dy)/((d)x)=alpha(x,y,z),quad(dz)/((d)x)=beta(x,y,z)\frac{\mathrm{d} y}{\mathrm{~d} x}=\alpha(x, y, z), \quad \frac{\mathrm{d} z}{\mathrm{~d} x}=\beta(x, y, z).
There exist in this case two energy-free PDEs (one of the first and one of the second order) relating families ( alpha,beta\alpha, \beta ) and potentials V(x,y,z)V(x, y, z) (Bozis & Kotoulas 2005; Anisiu 2005).
Let us assume that alpha_(0)!=0\alpha_{0} \neq 0 and adopt the notation bar(epsilon)=(1,alpha,beta),quadalpha_(0)= bar(epsilon)grad alpha,quadbeta_(0)= bar(epsilon)grad beta\bar{\epsilon}=(1, \alpha, \beta), \quad \alpha_{0}=\bar{\epsilon} \operatorname{grad} \alpha, \quad \beta_{0}=\bar{\epsilon} \operatorname{grad} \beta, Theta=1+alpha^(2)+beta^(2),quad n=(Theta)/(alpha_(0)),quadn_(0)= bar(epsilon)grad n\Theta=1+\alpha^{2}+\beta^{2}, \quad n=\frac{\Theta}{\alpha_{0}}, \quad n_{0}=\bar{\epsilon} \operatorname{grad} n.
The two equations satisfied by the potential in the 3D inverse problem are (alphabeta_(0)-alpha_(0)beta)V_(x)-beta_(0)V_(y)+alpha_(0)V_(z)=0\left(\alpha \beta_{0}-\alpha_{0} \beta\right) V_{x}-\beta_{0} V_{y}+\alpha_{0} V_{z}=0,
For any compatible pair of potential V(x,y,z)V(x, y, z) and orbit ( alpha,beta\alpha, \beta ) the energy is given by E(f,g)=V+Theta(alphaV_(x)-V_(y))//2alpha_(0)E(f, g)=V+\Theta\left(\alpha V_{x}-V_{y}\right) / 2 \alpha_{0},
and real motion is allowed in the region (alphaV_(x)-V_(y))/(alpha_(0)) >= 0\frac{\alpha V_{x}-V_{y}}{\alpha_{0}} \geq 0.
The potentials producing families of straight lines, for which both alpha_(0)\alpha_{0} and beta_(0)\beta_{0} are identically zero, must satisfy (Bozis & Kotoulas 2004) the equations alphaV_(x)-V_(y)=0,quad betaV_(x)-V_(z)=0\alpha V_{x}-V_{y}=0, \quad \beta V_{x}-V_{z}=0.
If alpha_(0)=0\alpha_{0}=0 but beta_(0)!=0\beta_{0} \neq 0 equation (6) is replaced by a second-order differential equation presented in Anisiu (2005) and Kotoulas & Bozis (2006).
3 Potentials V=w(y,z)V=w(y, z) which generate spatial families of orbits
We shall consider exclusively potentials of the form V=w(y,z)V=w(y, z).
The material point moving under the action of such a potential will have a uniform motion in xx, i. e. x^(˙)(t)=\dot{x}(t)= const. As a consequence, the orbits cannot be closed. For VV given in (10) the system of the two PDEs (5) and (6) becomes
and Psi=beta ThetaG_(y)+alpha_(0)(n_(0)-2(alpha+beta G))\Psi=\beta \Theta G_{y}+\alpha_{0}\left(n_{0}-2(\alpha+\beta G)\right).
Equation (11) comes directly from (5) but, to obtain (12) from (6), we used (11) and, with its help, we expressed w_(yz)w_{y z} and w_(zz)w_{z z} in terms of w_(y)w_{y} and w_(yy)w_{y y}.
It is seen from Eq. (11) that the function GG must be independent of xx, i. e. G_(x)=0G_{x}=0.
We assume that alpha+beta G!=0\alpha+\beta G \neq 0 and we put H=(Psi)/(Theta(alpha+beta G))H=\frac{\Psi}{\Theta(\alpha+\beta G)}.
For the PDE (12), now written as w_(yy)+Hw_(y)=0w_{y y}+H w_{y}=0,
to have a solution of the form (10) it must be H_(x)=0H_{x}=0.
(with D(z)D(z) momentarily arbitrary function of zz ), and from Eq. (11) we obtain w_(z)w_{z}. The compatibility condition (w_(yz)=:}{:w_(zy))\left(w_{y z}=\right. \left.w_{z y}\right) for w_(y)w_{y} and w_(z)w_{z}, as these are given by Eqs. (19) and (11) respectively, is D^(')(z)-D(z)J=0D^{\prime}(z)-D(z) J=0,
where the function JJ is given by J=G_(y)(y,z)-G(y,z)H(y,z)+int^(y)H_(z)(u,z)duJ=G_{y}(y, z)-G(y, z) H(y, z)+\int^{y} H_{z}(u, z) \mathrm{d} u.
The function JJ must depend merely on zz, i. e. it must be J_(y)=0J_{y}=0.
This last condition (22) can also be written as G_(yy)-G_(y)H-GH_(y)+H_(z)=0G_{y y}-G_{y} H-G H_{y}+H_{z}=0.
For a given family (1) the 'integration function' D(z)D(z) is specified from (20). It is D(z)=d exp(int J(z)dz)D(z)=d \exp \left(\int J(z) \mathrm{d} z\right),
where J(z)J(z) is given by (21) and dd is a constant. From Eqs. (7) and (8) we conclude that real motion is allowed in the region defined by the inequality (w_(y))/(alpha_(0)) <= 0\frac{w_{y}}{\alpha_{0}} \leq 0,
and the particle moves with total energy E=w(y,z)-(Thetaw_(y))/(2alpha_(0))E=w(y, z)-\frac{\Theta w_{y}}{2 \alpha_{0}}.
We summarize by the following
Proposition 1. For alpha_(0)!=0,alpha+beta G!=0\alpha_{0} \neq 0, \alpha+\beta G \neq 0 and for any family (alpha,beta)(\alpha, \beta) satisfying the conditions (15), (18) and (22) (equivalently 23), there exists a two-dimension compatible potential w=w(y,z)w=w(y, z). The potential is given by the (compatible) Eqs. (19) and (11) with D(z)D(z) given by (24). The family is lying in the region (25) and is traced with total energy given by Eq. (26).
4 Special cases
a. quadalpha_(0)=0,beta_(0)=0\quad \alpha_{0}=0, \beta_{0}=0
The case is trivial. Only if the given orbits are families of straight lines we are led to alpha_(0)=beta_(0)=0\alpha_{0}=\beta_{0}=0 and the corresponding potential obtained from (9) is w(y,z)=w(y, z)= const.
b. quadalpha_(0)=0,beta_(0)!=0\quad \alpha_{0}=0, \beta_{0} \neq 0
The Eq. (5) is still valid but Eq. (6) must be replaced by another second order PDE, as mentioned at the end of Sect. 2. Here we write down directly the pertinent system of the Eqs. (5) and (6) for 2D potentials of the form w=w(y,z)w=w(y, z). This system reads w_(y)=0,w_(zz)=(2beta- widetilde(n)_(0))/(( widetilde(n))beta)w_(z)w_{y}=0, w_{z z}=\frac{2 \beta-\widetilde{n}_{0}}{\widetilde{n} \beta} w_{z},
where widetilde(n)=(Theta)/(beta_(0)), widetilde(n)_(0)= widetilde(n)_(x)+alpha widetilde(n)_(y)+beta widetilde(n)_(z)\widetilde{n}=\frac{\Theta}{\beta_{0}}, \widetilde{n}_{0}=\widetilde{n}_{x}+\alpha \widetilde{n}_{y}+\beta \widetilde{n}_{z}.
The system (27) has as solution a 1D potential w=w(z)w= w(z), provided that the ratio (2beta- widetilde(n)_(0))//( widetilde(n)beta)\left(2 \beta-\widetilde{n}_{0}\right) /(\widetilde{n} \beta) is independent of xx and yy.
c. quadalpha_(0)!=0,alpha+beta G=0,Psi!=0\quad \alpha_{0} \neq 0, \alpha+\beta G=0, \Psi \neq 0
The case is trivial. From (12) we obtain w_(y)=0w_{y}=0, and from (11) w_(z)=0w_{z}=0 i. e. w=w= const.
d. quadalpha_(0)!=0,alpha+beta G=0,Psi=0\quad \alpha_{0} \neq 0, \alpha+\beta G=0, \Psi=0
Then Eq. (12) is satisfied identically. The potential is found from (11), provided that the condition (15) holds, and it will not be uniquely determined.
Although at first sight questionable, the equations
{:(29)G_(x)=0","quad alpha+beta G=0","quad n betaG_(y)+n_(0)=0:}\begin{equation*}
G_{x}=0, \quad \alpha+\beta G=0, \quad n \beta G_{y}+n_{0}=0 \tag{29}
\end{equation*}
may hold simultaneously; for example, for the family f=y sin x+z cos x=c_(1),g=-z sin x+y cos x=c_(2)f= y \sin x+z \cos x=c_{1}, g=-z \sin x+y \cos x=c_{2} with the slope functions alpha=z\alpha=z and beta=-y\beta=-y, it is alphaalpha_(0)+betabeta_(0)=0\alpha \alpha_{0}+\beta \beta_{0}=0 and Psi=0\Psi=0. Equation (11) can be easily integrated and gives V=F(y^(2)+z^(2))V=F\left(y^{2}+z^{2}\right), with FF an arbitrary function. The energy is E=(1+f^(2)+g^(2))F^(')(y^(2)+z^(2))+F(y^(2)+z^(2))E=\left(1+f^{2}+g^{2}\right) F^{\prime}\left(y^{2}+z^{2}\right)+F\left(y^{2}+z^{2}\right), and the allowed region F^(')(y^(2)+z^(2)) >= 0F^{\prime}\left(y^{2}+z^{2}\right) \geq 0.
Proposition 2. If one of the conditions a\boldsymbol{a} or c\boldsymbol{c} from above holds, the problem has only the trivial solution w(y,z)=w(y, z)= const.
If condition b\boldsymbol{b} is fulfilled and the ratio (2beta- widetilde(n)_(0))//( widetilde(n)beta)\left(2 \beta-\widetilde{n}_{0}\right) /(\widetilde{n} \beta) is independent of xx and yy, the potential will depend only on the zz-variable, otherwise no potential can be found.
Finally, if the given family satisfies condition d\boldsymbol{d} and G_(x)=0G_{x}=0, we shall obtain a family of potentials w(y,z)w(y, z); if G_(x)!=0G_{x} \neq 0 there will be no such potential.
5 Applications
Application 1 Let f_(1),f_(2),g_(1),g_(2)f_{1}, f_{2}, g_{1}, g_{2} be constants such that
and g_(1)(f_(2)g_(2)-1)(1+g_(1)+g_(2))!=0g_{1}\left(f_{2} g_{2}-1\right)\left(1+g_{1}+g_{2}\right) \neq 0.
For any specific values of these constants (satisfying Eq. 30) we consider the family of curves in the inertial frame Oxyz f=x^(f_(1))yz^(f_(2))=c_(1),quad g=x^(g_(1))y^(g_(2))z=c_(2)f=x^{f_{1}} y z^{f_{2}}=c_{1}, \quad g=x^{g_{1}} y^{g_{2}} z=c_{2},
where c_(1),c_(2)c_{1}, c_{2} are parameters. It can be checked that (32) constitutes a spatial two-parametric set of orbits produced by the 2D potential field
traced with total energy E=-d_(1)((1+g_(2))/(g_(1)))^(2)(f^(k_(0)g_(2))g^(-k_(0))+f^(-k_(0))g^(k_(0)f_(2)))^((1+g_(2))/(g_(1)))E=-d_{1}\left(\frac{1+g_{2}}{g_{1}}\right)^{2}\left(f^{k_{0} g_{2}} g^{-k_{0}}+f^{-k_{0}} g^{k_{0} f_{2}}\right)^{\frac{1+g_{2}}{g_{1}}},
where k_(0)=(2)/(f_(2)g_(2)-1)k_{0}=\frac{2}{f_{2} g_{2}-1},
and d_(1)d_{1} is an arbitrary constant.
Remarks:
In the formulae (32), the variable yy in ff and the variable zz in gg were taken to be raised to the power 1. Obviously, if the nonzero exponents are not so, they can always be done equal to one.
The condition g_(1)!=0g_{1} \neq 0 does not reduce the generality of the family (32), because the xx-variable must appear at least in one of ff and gg, hence we can suppose that g_(1)g_{1} is nonzero (otherwise we may perform the change f rarr g rarr f,y rarr z rarr yf \rightarrow g \rightarrow f, y \rightarrow z \rightarrow y ).
The condition f_(2)g_(2)-1!=0f_{2} g_{2}-1 \neq 0 ensures the fact that alpha,beta\alpha, \beta, alpha_(0),beta_(0)\alpha_{0}, \beta_{0} and k_(0)k_{0} are meaningfull, that is the denominator of these expressions is nonzero. It also guarantees that the two surfaces in (32) do not coincide.
For the family (32) we get (taking into account condition 31) alpha_(0)=r(r-1)(y)/(x^(2)),quadbeta_(0)=r(r-1)(z)/(x^(2))\alpha_{0}=r(r-1) \frac{y}{x^{2}}, \quad \beta_{0}=r(r-1) \frac{z}{x^{2}},
where r=(g_(1)f_(2)-f_(1))/(1-f_(2)g_(2))r=\frac{g_{1} f_{2}-f_{1}}{1-f_{2} g_{2}}.
It is r!=0r \neq 0 because of g_(1)(f_(2)g_(2)-1)!=0g_{1}\left(f_{2} g_{2}-1\right) \neq 0 (if g_(1)f_(2)-f_(1)=0g_{1} f_{2}-f_{1}=0, then f_(2)g_(2)-1=(f_(1)g_(2)-g_(1))//g_(1)=(g_(1)f_(2)-f_(1))//g_(1)=0f_{2} g_{2}-1=\left(f_{1} g_{2}-g_{1}\right) / g_{1}=\left(g_{1} f_{2}-f_{1}\right) / g_{1}=0, contradiction). It is also r!=1r \neq 1 because of g_(1)(1+g_(1)+:}{:g_(2))!=0g_{1}\left(1+g_{1}+\right. \left.g_{2}\right) \neq 0, since in view of (31) f_(2)(g_(1)+g_(2))-(f_(1)+1)=(g_(1)f_(2)-f_(1))(1+g_(1)+g_(2))//g_(1)f_{2}\left(g_{1}+g_{2}\right)-\left(f_{1}+1\right)= \left(g_{1} f_{2}-f_{1}\right)\left(1+g_{1}+g_{2}\right) / g_{1}.
5. The case f_(1)=0f_{1}=0 is not excluded, and in view of (30) it must be f_(2)=-1f_{2}=-1. The pertinent family f=yz^(-1)=c_(1),g=x^(g_(1_(1)))y^(g_(2))z=c_(2)f=y z^{-1}= c_{1}, g=x^{g_{1_{1}}} y^{g_{2}} z=c_{2} leads to potential and energy found directly from (33) and (34) for f_(1)=0,f_(2)=-1f_{1}=0, f_{2}=-1.
6 . The exponents f_(1),f_(2)f_{1}, f_{2} do not appear in the potential (33), so, in view of (30) also, we understand that the family (32) is essentially three-parametric.
7. As seen from (25), real motion is allowed all over the space for negative d_(1)d_{1} and nowhere for positive d_(1)d_{1}.
Application 2 It can be checked that, for any values of the constants f_(1),g_(1),g_(2)f_{1}, g_{1}, g_{2} such that not both f_(1)f_{1} and g_(1)g_{1} are zero, the family
and is traced with energy E=(d_(2)(f_(1)-1))/(c_(1)g_(1)^(2)+f_(1)(c_(1)+c_(1)g_(2)^(2)-c_(2)^(2)))E=\frac{d_{2}\left(f_{1}-1\right)}{c_{1} g_{1}^{2}+f_{1}\left(c_{1}+c_{1} g_{2}^{2}-c_{2}^{2}\right)}, d_(2)d_{2} being an arbitrary constant.
Remarks:
The first of Eqs. (38) is a family of surfaces of revolution around the xx-axis. (For f_(1) > 0,c_(1) > 0f_{1}>0, c_{1}>0 we have an ellipsoid of revolution, for f_(1) < 0f_{1}<0 we have a hyperboloid of one or two sheets, depending on whether c_(1) > 0c_{1}>0 or c_(1) < 0c_{1}<0 respectively.)
The (integrable) potential (39) is independent of f_(1)f_{1} and g_(1)g_{1}, so, the family (38) is essentially four-parametric. Notice, however, that, besides c_(1)c_{1} and c_(2)c_{2}, the total energy depends on the constants g_(1)g_{1} and g_(2)g_{2}.
Depending on the values of the constants and the parameters involved and also on the sign in front of the potential (39), real motion of the massive particle takes place either everywhere (nowhere) in the 3D space or inside (outside) a cylinder whose generatrice is parallel to the xx-axis. This remark is valid for all potentials of the form w=w(y,z)w=w(y, z) which we study here.
6 Concluding remarks
For any family of spatial curves (1), we established the conditions which, if fulfilled, allow for the existence of a compatible 2D potential V=w(y,z)V=w(y, z) of the form (10). These are
with the functions G,H,JG, H, J given by (13), (16), (21) respectively, in terms of the given family.
For a specific family (1), the above conditions (41) are not expected to be satisfied, of course, meaning that no compatible potential of the form (10) exists. Yet, for that specific family, a compatible 2D potential may exist e. g. of the form V=w^(**)(x,z)V=w^{*}(x, z).
Working with (42) and following the same steps as in Sect. 3, we come up with the following three conditions for the family (1): G_(y)^(**)=0,quadH_(y)^(**)=0,quadJ_(x)^(**)=0G_{y}^{*}=0, \quad H_{y}^{*}=0, \quad J_{x}^{*}=0,
where G^(**)=beta-alpha(beta_(0))/(alpha_(0))G^{*}=\beta-\alpha \frac{\beta_{0}}{\alpha_{0}}, H^(**)=(Theta alpha betaG_(x)^(**)+alpha_(0)(2+alphan_(0)+alpha_(0)n+2betaG^(**)))/(alpha Theta(1+betaG^(**)))H^{*}=\frac{\Theta \alpha \beta G_{x}^{*}+\alpha_{0}\left(2+\alpha n_{0}+\alpha_{0} n+2 \beta G^{*}\right)}{\alpha \Theta\left(1+\beta G^{*}\right)}, J^(**)=G_(x)^(**)-G^(**)H^(**)+int^(x)H_(z)^(**)(u,z)duJ^{*}=G_{x}^{*}-G^{*} H^{*}+\int^{x} H_{z}^{*}(u, z) \mathrm{d} u.
The two PDEs (5) and (6) become w_(z)^(**)=G^(**)w_(x)^(**)w_{z}^{*}=G^{*} w_{x}^{*},
Let us apply the above reasoning to the same set of orbits (32) for which we found the potential (33), under the restriction (30) for the four exponents f_(1),f_(2),g_(1),g_(2)f_{1}, f_{2}, g_{1}, g_{2}. In place of (30) we now put the restriction (f_(1)+f_(2))g_(2)=1+g_(1)\left(f_{1}+f_{2}\right) g_{2}=1+g_{1}.
The corresponding potential is w^(**)(x,z)=d_(3)(x^(2)+z^(2))^(f_(1)+f_(2)+1)w^{*}(x, z)=d_{3}\left(x^{2}+z^{2}\right)^{f_{1}+f_{2}+1},
and each orbit is traced with total energy E=-d_(3)(f_(1)+f_(2))^(2)(c_(1)^(ℓ_(0))c_(2)^(-ℓ_(0)f_(2))+c_(1)^(-ℓ_(0)g_(1))c_(2)^(ℓ_(0)f_(1)))^(f_(1)+f_(2))E=-d_{3}\left(f_{1}+f_{2}\right)^{2}\left(c_{1}^{\ell_{0}} c_{2}^{-\ell_{0} f_{2}}+c_{1}^{-\ell_{0} g_{1}} c_{2}^{\ell_{0} f_{1}}\right)^{f_{1}+f_{2}},
where ℓ_(0)=(2)/(f_(1)-f_(2)g_(1))\ell_{0}=\frac{2}{f_{1}-f_{2} g_{1}},
and d_(3)d_{3} is an arbitrary constant.
Let us check now if the family (32), this time under the restriction (30), which can be described in the presence of the potential w(y,z)w(y, z) given by (33), is compatible with a potential w^(**)(x,z)w^{*}(x, z). It can be easily seen that G^(**)=0G^{*}=0 and the one-variable potential
will be compatible with the given family, traced with the energy E=-d_(4)((g_(1))/(1+g_(2)))^(2)(f^(k_(0)g_(2))g^(-k_(0))+f^(-k_(0))g^(k_(0)f_(2)))E=-d_{4}\left(\frac{g_{1}}{1+g_{2}}\right)^{2}\left(f^{k_{0} g_{2}} g^{-k_{0}}+f^{-k_{0}} g^{k_{0} f_{2}}\right),
with k_(0)k_{0} given by (35). Examples of one-dimension potentials producing planar families of curves are to be found in Anisiu & Bozis (2007).
With the aid of the criteria (41) and (43) we can decide whether a given family ( alpha,beta\alpha, \beta ) is or is not derived from a 2D potential of the form (10) or (42), respectively. If we want to find all the two-dimension potentials, there remains to us the obligation to check whether the family is derived from a potential of the form V=w^(****)(x,y)V=w^{* *}(x, y).
To face the question, we recall that the transformation x rarr x,y rarr z rarr yx \rightarrow x, y \rightarrow z \rightarrow y implies that alpha rarr beta rarr alpha\alpha \rightarrow \beta \rightarrow \alpha and alpha_(0)rarrbeta_(0)rarralpha_(0)\alpha_{0} \rightarrow \beta_{0} \rightarrow \alpha_{0}. So, instead of checking (alpha(x,y,z),beta(x,y,z))(\alpha(x, y, z), \beta(x, y, z)), we check the family (beta(x,z,y),alpha(x,z,y))(\beta(x, z, y), \alpha(x, z, y)).
If the conditions (43) are fulfilled for (54), we understand that there exists a potential V=w^(****)(x,y)V=w^{* *}(x, y) creating the given family. The above trick may be applied also in case that the given family leads to alpha_(0)=0,beta_(0)!=0\alpha_{0}=0, \beta_{0} \neq 0. If we look for a potential as (53) for the family (32) under the restriction (30), we find again (51).
As for application 2, it can be checked that for f_(1)=1f_{1}=1, beside the potential w(z,y)w(z, y) given by (39), the problem admits of solutions
the orbits being traced isoenergetically.
Acknowledgements. It is a pleasure for us to thank Prof. F. Puel for his very careful refereeing of the paper and for his valuable suggestions. The work of the first author was financially supported by the scientific program 2CEEX0611-96 of the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research.