Iterated powers (Q1345442)

Let \(a > 0\) be some constant. The paper illustrates a classical result concerning the convergence behaviour of the sequence \((a_ n)_ n\) defined by \(a_ 0 : = a\) and \(a_{n+1} : = a^{a_ n}\), \((n \in \mathbb N_ 0)\). Following L. von Seidel, \((a_ n)_ n\) converges if and only if \(e^{- e} < a < e^{{1 \over e}}\), and in the case of convergence the limit \(x \in [{1 \over e}, e]\) solves the equation \(x^{{1 \over x}} = a\). Included is also a proof of a series expansion for \(x\) in powers of log \(a\) given by G. Eisenstein.