Lie symmetries and similarity solutions for a family of 1+1 fifth-order partial differential equations

Abstract: We apply the theory of infinitesimal transformations for the study of a family of 1+1 fifth-order partial differential equations which have been proposed before for the description of multiple kink solutions. In this analysis we perform a complete classification of the Lie symmetries and of the one-dimensional optimal system. The results are applied for the derivation of similarity solutions and in particular we find travel-wave and scaling solutions. We show that the kink-solution of these equations can be recovered by the use of the Lie symmetries, while new solutions are also derived.