A spectral theory for simply periodic solutions of the sinh-Gordon equation

In this work a spectral theory for 2-dimensional, simply periodic, complex-valued solutions u of the sinh-Gordon equation is developed. Spectral data for such solutions are defined (following Hitchin and Bobenko) and the space of spectral data is described by an asymptotic characterization. Using methods of asymptotic estimates, the inverse problem for the spectral data is solved along a line, i.e. the solution u is reconstructed on a line from the spectral data. Finally a Jacobi variety and Abel map for the spectral curve is constructed; they are used to describe the change of the spectral data under translation of the solution u.