Wright Omega function: how to interpret the solution?

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I gotta solve \begin{align} (\ln(ab) - ab + c)\left(\frac{1}{a} - b\right) = 0 \end{align} for $a$, where $a,b,c \in \mathbb{R}_+$. We clearly have a solution at $a = \frac{1}{b}$. However, Matlab tells me that we also have a = -wrightOmega(- c - pi*1i)/b. No idea what I should make of it.

  • Can I neglect the second solution due to the fact, that $a$ is supposed to be real?
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The first solution, is as you correctly note:

$$a=\frac{1}{b}$$

The second equation can be solved in terms of the Lambert $W$ function, as:

$$ \begin{align} \ln(ab)-ab+c&=0\Rightarrow\\ \ln(ab)&=ab-c\Rightarrow\text{ (pass through $\exp$)}\\ ab&=e^{ab}\cdot e^{-c}\Rightarrow\\ ab\cdot e^{-ab}&=e^{-c}\Rightarrow\\ -ab\cdot e^{-ab}&=-e^{-c}\Rightarrow\\ -ab&=W_k(-e^{-c})\Rightarrow\\ a&=\frac{-W_k(-e^{-c})}{b}\text{, $k\in\mathbb{Z}$}\\ \end{align} $$

Now, the Wright-Omega function $\omega$ satisfies:

$$W_k(z)=\omega(\ln(z)+2k\pi i)\text{, $k\in\mathbb{Z}$}$$

Therefore you can express the solutions in terms of this function as:

$$a=\frac{-\omega(\ln(-e^{-c})+2k\pi i)}{b}\text{, $k\in\mathbb{Z}$}$$

Choosing the principal branch of $\ln$ and for the particular case where $c\ge 1$ the branch of $W$ which gives real solutions, is the $k=-1$ branch, so:

$$ \begin{align} a&=\frac{-W_{-1}(-e^{-c})}{b}\Rightarrow\\ a&=\frac{-\omega(\ln(-e^{-c})+2(-1)\pi i)}{b}\Rightarrow\\ a&=\frac{-\omega(\pi i -c - 2\pi i)}{b}\Rightarrow\\ a&=\frac{-\omega(-c -\pi i)}{b} \end{align} $$