A Coupled AKNS-Kaup-Newell Soliton Hierarchy

A coupled AKNS-Kaup-Newell hierarchy of systems of soliton equations is proposed in terms of hereditary symmetry operators resulted from Hamiltonian pairs. Zero curvature representations and tri-Hamiltonian structures are established for all coupled AKNS-Kaup-Newell systems in the hierarchy. Therefore all systems have infinitely many commuting symmetries and conservation laws. Two reductions of the systems lead to the AKNS hierarchy and the Kaup-Newell hierarchy, and thus those two soliton hierarchies also possess tri-Hamiltonian structures.