A set of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations is systematically analyzed by means of Lie group technique. The physical situations under consideration include nonlinear propagation in strongly birefringent and multimode optical fibers. The most general Lie group of point symmetries, its Lie algebra, and a group of adjoint representations that correspond to the Lie algebra are identified. As a result, a complete list of group-invariant exact solutions is obtained and compared with earlier results. The corresponding laws of conservation are derived employing Noether’s theorem.

• Received 23 September 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.57.3468