Compatible Dubrovin–Novikov Hamiltonian Operators, Lie Derivative, and Integrable Systems of Hydrodynamic Type

We prove that two Dubrovin–Novikov Hamiltonian operators are compatible if and only if one of these operators is the Lie derivative of the other operator along a certain vector field. We consider the class of flat manifolds, which correspond to arbitrary pairs of compatible Dubrovin–Novikov Hamiltonian operators. Locally, these manifolds are defined by solutions of a system of nonlinear equations, which is integrable by the method of the inverse scattering problem. We construct the integrable hierarchies generated by arbitrary pairs of compatible Dubrovin–Novikov Hamiltonian operators.