Rings of constants of four-variable Lotka-Volterra systems (Q2440509)

A derivation on a commutative ring \(R\) is an additive map that satisfies the Leibniz rule. Let \(K\) be a field with a derivation \(\delta : K\to K\) and \(R = K[x_1,\ldots,x_n]\). Then, for every \(n\)-tuple \((f_1,\ldots,f_n) \in R^n\), there is a unique derivation \(\delta: R\to R\) extending \(\delta : K\to K\) such that \(\delta(x_i) = f_i\), \(1\leq i \leq n\). The set \(R^\delta:=\{r \in R| \delta(r) = 0\}\) (called the constants of \(R\)) is a subring of \(R\). The paper under review is restricted to the case of \(K=K^\delta\), \(n=4\), and \[ f_1 = x_1(x_4-C_1x_2),\;\;f_2=x_2(x_1-C_2x_3),\;\;f_3=x_3(x_2-C_3x_4), \;\;x_4(x_3-C_4x_1), \] where \(C_1,\ldots,C_4 \in K\). The main result, Theorem 5.1, contains a decision procedure to calculate the ring of constants of \(R\).