The Euler-Lagrange Cohomology and General Volume-Preserving Systems

We briefly introduce the conception on Euler-Lagrange cohomology groups on a symplectic manifold $(\mathcal{M}^{2n}, \omega)$ and systematically present the general form of volume-preserving equations on the manifold from the cohomological point of view. It is shown that for every volume-preserving flow generated by these equations there is an important 2-form that plays the analog role with the Hamiltonian in the Hamilton mechanics. In addition, the ordinary canonical equations with Hamiltonian $H$ are included as a special case with the 2-form $\frac{1}{n-1} H \omega$. It is studied the other volume preserving systems on $({\cal M}^{2n}, \omega)$. It is also explored the relations between our approach and Feng-Shang's volume-preserving systems as well as the Nambu mechanics.