Multi-soliton solutions of the sine-Gordon equation with elliptic-function background

Abstract: The multi-soliton solution of the sine-Gordon equation in the presence of elliptic-function background is derived by the inverse scattering method. The key tool in our formulation is the Lax pair written by $4\times4$ matrix differential operators given by Takhtadzhyan and Faddeev in 1974, which enables us to use the conventional form of the integral representation of the Jost solutions and Krichever's theory of commuting differential operators. As a by-product we also provide generalized orthogonality and completeness relations for eigenfunctions associated with indefinite inner product. The multi-soliton solution is expressed by a determinant of theta functions and the shift of the background lattice due to solitons is also determined using addition formula. One kink and one breather solutions are presented by animated gifs.