Integrable generalization of the Toda law to the square lattice.

We generalize the Toda lattice (or Toda chain) equation to the square lattice, i.e., we construct an integrable nonlinear equation for a scalar field taking values on the square lattice and depending on a continuous (time) variable, characterized by an exponential law of interaction in both discrete directions of the square lattice. We construct the Darboux-Bäcklund transformations for such lattice, and the corresponding formulas describing their superposition. We finally use these Darboux-Bäcklund transformations to generate examples of explicit solutions of exponential and rational type. The exponential solutions describe the evolution of one and two smooth two-dimensional shock waves on the square lattice.