Lie group analysis of a generalized Krichever-Novikov differential-difference equation

Abstract: The symmetry algebra of the differential--difference equation $$\dot u_n = [P(u_n)u_{n+1}u_{n-1} + Q(u_n)(u_{n+1}+u_{n-1})+ R(u_n)]/(u_{n+1}-u_{n-1}),$$ where $P$, $Q$ and $R$ are arbitrary analytic functions is shown to have the dimension $1 \le \mbox{dim}L \le 5$. When $P$, $Q$ and $R$ are specific second order polynomials in $u_n$ (depending on 6 constants) this is the integrable discretization of the Krichever--Novikov equation. We find 3 cases when the arbitrary functions are not polynomials and the symmetry algebra satisfies $\mbox{dim}L=2$. These cases are shown not to be integrable. The symmetry algebras are used to reduce the equations to purely difference ones. The symmetry group is also used to impose periodicity $u_{n+N}=u_n$ and thus to reduce the differential--difference equation to a system of $N$ coupled ordinary three points difference equations.