The Method of ${\cal M}_{n}$-Extension: The KdV Equation

In this work we generalize ${\cal M}_{2}$-extension that has been introduced recently. For illustration we use the KdV equation. We present five different ${\cal M}_{3}$-extensions of the KdV equation and their recursion operators. We give a compact form of ${\cal M}_{n}$-extension of the KdV equation and recursion operator of the coupled KdV system. The method of ${\cal M}_{n}$-extension can be applied to any integrable scalar equation to obtain integrable multi-field system of equations. We also present unshifted and shifted nonlocal reductions of an example of ${\cal M}_{3}$-extension of KdV.