Reduction of the Laplace sequence and sine-Gordon type equations

Abstract In this work, we continue the development of methods for constructing Lax pairs and recursion operators for nonlinear integrable hyperbolic equations of soliton type, previously proposed in the work of Habibullin et al (2016 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 49 035202). This approach is based on the use of the well-known theory of Laplace transforms. The article completes the proof that for any known integrable equation of sine-Gordon type, the sequence of Laplace transforms associated with its linearization admits a third-order finite-field reduction. It is shown that the found reductions are closely related to the Lax pair and recursion operators for both characteristic directions of the given hyperbolic equation. Previously unknown Lax pairs and recursion operators were constructed.