Thermodynamics, real and complex periods of the Volterra model (Q1075265)

The paper analyzes the period T of the solutions of the Lotka-Volterra equations \(\dot u=\lambda u(1-v)\), \(\dot v=-\mu_ v(1-u)\). These equations may be written in Hamiltonian form by defining \(u=\exp p\), \(v=\exp q\). Their solutions correspond to \[ H(p,q)=\mu (\exp (p)-p- 1)+\lambda (\exp (q)-q-1)=E. \] Here, the temporal structure in the orbit is studied in detail, by subdividing T(E,\(\lambda\),\(\mu)\) into four parts \(T_{++},T_{+-},T_{-+},T_{--}\), corresponding to the four quadrants in the p-q plane. The method used is a thermodynamic one. It is shown that the canonical partition function Z(\(\beta\),\(\lambda\),\(\mu)\), with \(\beta\) an ''inverse temperature'', is the Laplace transform of T(E,\(\lambda\),\(\mu)\). This allows to obtain expansions of T(E,\(\lambda\),\(\mu)\) and of \(T_{++--}\), for small and large ''energy'' E by inverse Laplace transforms. In difference to \textit{S. B. Hsu} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 95, 428-436 (1983; Zbl 0515.92020)] it is obtained, for instance, that \(T_{++}(E)\to 0\) for \(E\to \infty\). The expression of T(E,\(\lambda\),\(\mu)\) as a convolution integral allows one to derive global inequalities, e.g. the convexity of the function (log(E/\(\mu)\), log(E/\(\lambda)\))\(\to \log (ET)(E,\lambda,\mu)\), and (E/T)(\(\partial T/\partial E)\in (0,1).\) Finally, the analytic continuation of \(T=T(E,\lambda,\mu)\) to the left(right) halfplane Re E\(<0\) \((>0) can\) also be expressed by Laplace transforms.