A new method for the solution of initial-boundary value problems for textit{linear} and textit{integrable nonlinear} evolution PDEs in one spatial dimension was introduced by one of the authors in 1997 cite{F1997}. This approach was subsequently exte
nded to initial-boundary value problems for evolution PDEs in two spatial dimensions, first in the case of linear PDEs cite{F2002b} and, more recently, in the case of integrable nonlinear PDEs, for the Davey-Stewartson and the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili II equations on the half-plane (see cite{FDS2009} and cite{MF2011} respectively). In this work, we study the analogous problem for the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili I equation; in particular, through the simultaneous spectral analysis of the associated Lax pair via a d-bar formalism, we are able to obtain an integral representation for the solution, which involves certain transforms of all the initial and the boundary values, as well as an identity, the so-called global relation, which relates these transforms in appropriate regions of the complex spectral plane.
The KPII equation is an integrable nonlinear PDE in 2+1 dimensions (two spatial and one temporal), which arises in several physical circumstances, including fluid mechanics where it describes waves in shallow water. It provides a multidimensional gen
eralisation of the renowned KdV equation. In this work, we employ a novel approach recently introduced by one of the authors in connection with the Davey-Stewartson equation cite{FDS2009}, in order to analyse the initial-boundary value problem for the KPII equation formulated on the half-plane. The analysis makes crucial use of the so-called d-bar formalism, as well as of the so-called global relation. A novel feature of boundary as opposed to initial-value problems in 2+1 is that the d-bar formalism now involves a function in the complex plane which is discontinuous across the real axis.
