Is there a closed form for the recursively defined function $f_{n+1}(x) := f_n(x)^{f_n(x)}$.

60 Views Asked by At

Is there a closed form$^*$ for the following recursive function: \begin{align} f_0(x) &:= x\\ f_{n+1}(x) &:= f_n(x)^{f_n(x)} \end{align} Assuming that $x$ is an element of a semi-ring$^\dagger$, with exponentiation defined canonically.


The first few $f_i$ functions:\begin{align} f_0(x) &= x\\ f_1(x) &= x^x\\ f_2(x) &= x^{x^{x+1}}\\ f_3(x) &= x^{x^{x^{x+1}+x+1}}\\ \end{align}




$*$: That is in terms of elementary functions, or as a sequence $(a,b,c,...)$ denoting $a^{b^{c^...}}$, or both.
$\dagger$: If $x$ needs to be more constrained; eg, element of a ring, a field, etc...; note it in your answer, please.