About this worksheet

The algebraic definition and a graphical interpretation

The defining algebraic equation for the Lambert function is

>	eq:=x*exp(x)=y: eq;

The Lambert function is the inverse (principal branch) of the function

>	f:=x->x*exp(x);

>	x=solve(eq,x);

Graphically it is convenient to look at this function as the parameterized locii of the
point of intersection of an expoenential and a straight line

>	eqq:=simplify(eq*exp(-x)/y): eqq;

>	z1:=lhs(eqq); z2:=rhs(eqq);

>

display([    plot(z2,x=-3..10,thickness=3,color=red),    seq(plot(subs(y=tan(Pi/112*k),z1),x=-2..10,thickness=1,color=cyan),        k=1..55),    seq(plot(subs(y=tan(Pi/112*k),z1),x=-3..10,thickness=1,color=blue),        k=-12..-1),    seq(plot(subs(y=tan(Pi/112*k),z1),x=-3..10,thickness=1,color=pink),        k=-55..-13),    textplot([2,25,`Domain of Lambert function`],font=[TIMES,BOLD,16],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([2,22,`Minimal slope -exp(-1)`],font=[TIMES,ROMAN,16],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([2,20,`double valued for slopes in (-exp(1),0)`],font=[TIMES,BOLD,16],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([2,18,`single valued for slopes in (0,infinity)`],font=[TIMES,ROMAN,16],align={ABOVE,RIGHT})    ],    view=[-3..10,0..30]);

This image is very suggestive, and immediately leads to the following

Domain and range of the branches of the Lambert function

>

>

display([    plot(x*exp(x),x=-10..3,thickness=3,color=red),    plot(LambertW(x),x=-exp(-1)..10,thickness=3,color=blue),    plot(LambertW(-1,x),x=-exp(-1)..0,thickness=3,color=magenta),    plot(-exp(-1),x=-10..0,thickness=1,color=pink),    plot([-1,t,t=-exp(-1)..0],thickness=1,color=red),    plot([-exp(-1),t,t=-10..0],thickness=1,color=cyan),    plot(-1,-exp(-1)..0,thickness=1,color=black),    textplot([-4.9,0.3,`f(u)=u*exp(u) has min at (-1,-exp(-1)`],             color=red,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([-4.9,1.3,`the range of f(u)=u*e^u is (-e^(-1),inf)`],             color=red,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([0.1,-1,`the domain of LambertW is (-e^(-1),inf)`],             color=blue,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([0.5,1.5,`the growth of LambertW is slower than log`],             color=blue,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([0.1,-0.5,`the range of LambertW is (-1,inf)`],             color=blue,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([-2.1,-3,`the domain of LambertW(-1,.) is (-e^(-1),0)`],             color=magenta,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT}),    textplot([-2.1,-3.5,`the range of LambertW(-1,.) is (-inf,-1)`],             color=magenta,font=[TIMES,ROMAN,12],align={ABOVE,RIGHT})    ],view=[-5..5,-5..5]);

Derivative of the Lambert functions

The Lambert function satisfies e.g. the following separable differential equation:

>	Diff(LambertW(x),x)=diff(LambertW(x),x); Diff(LambertW(-1,x),x)=diff(LambertW(-1,x),x);

>	DEL:=(1+y(x))/y(x)*diff(y(x),x)=x: DEL;

>	dsolve(DEL,y(x));

Lambert functions in predator prey systems

This differential equation appears e.g. after elimination of the time-dependence
in the predator prey system

>	diff(x(t),t)=x(t)*(1-y(t)); diff(y(t),t)=y(t)*(1-x(t));

has the first integral

>	FI:=log(y)-y+log(x)-x: FI=C;

Solving either the first integral for y, or d-solving the differential equation

>	DE:=diff(y(x),x)=-y(x)*(1-x)/x/(1-y(x)): DE;

returns a solution in terms of the Lambert function

>	asol:=y=solve(FI=subs(x=x0,y=y0,FI),y): asol;

>	dsol:=simplify(dsolve({DE,y(x0)=y0},y(x))): dsol;

The second branch IS NOT returned automatically!

>	sol2:=y=-LambertW(-1,-exp(x-y0-x0)*y0/x*x0): sol2;

>	sampledata:=x0=2,y0=3: sampledata1:=x0=2,y0=1: sampledata2:=x0=2,y0=2: sampledata4:=x0=2,y0=4:

>

display([    plot(subs(sampledata,rhs(sol2)),x=0..4,thickness=2,color=blue,view=0..5),    plot(subs(sampledata,rhs(asol)),x=0..4,thickness=4,color=magenta,view=0..5),                   plot(subs(sampledata1,rhs(sol2)),x=0..4,thickness=1,color=blue,view=0..5),    plot(subs(sampledata1,rhs(asol)),x=0..4,thickness=2,color=magenta,view=0..5),                   plot(subs(sampledata2,rhs(sol2)),x=0..4,thickness=1,color=blue,view=0..5),    plot(subs(sampledata2,rhs(asol)),x=0..4,thickness=2,color=magenta,view=0..5),              plot(subs(sampledata4,rhs(sol2)),x=0..4,thickness=1,color=blue,view=0..5),    plot(subs(sampledata4,rhs(asol)),x=0..4,thickness=2,color=magenta,view=0..5)]);