Let q be a positive integer and let (an) and (bn) be two given ℂ-valued and q-periodic sequences. First we prove that the linear recurrence in ℂ 0.1

$$x_{n + 2} = a_nx_{n + 1} + b_nx_n,\quad n\in {\open Z}_+ $$

0.2

$$A_n = \left( {\matrix{ 0 & 1 \cr {b_n} & {a_n} \cr } } \right)\quad n\in {\open Z}_+ .$$

0.3

$${x}^{\prime \prime}(t) = a(t){x}^{\prime}(t) + b(t)x(t),\quad t\in {\open R},$$

0.4

$${X}^{\prime}(t) = A(t)X(t),\quad t\in {\open R},\quad X(0) = I_2,$$

0.5

$$A(t) = \left( {\matrix{ 0 & 1 \cr {b(t)} & {a(t)} \cr } } \right),\quad t\in {\open R}.$$

Let ${\cal F}$ =(F; +, .,0, 1, D) be a differentially closed field. We consider the question of definability of the derivation D in reducts of ${\cal F}$ of the form ${\cal F}$R = (F; +, .,0, 1, P)P ε R where R is some collection of definable sets in ${\cal F}$. We give examples and nonexamples and establish some criteria for definability of D. Finally, using the tools developed in the article, we prove that under the assumption of inductiveness of Th (${\cal F}$R) model completeness is a necessary condition for definability of D. This can be seen as part of a broader project where one is interested in finding Ax-Schanuel type inequalities (or predimension inequalities) for differential equations.

We extend and apply the Galois theory of linear differential equations equipped with the action of an endomorphism. The Galois groups in this Galois theory are difference algebraic groups, and we use structure theorems for these groups to characterize the possible difference algebraic relations among solutions of linear differential equations. This yields tools to show that certain special functions are difference transcendent. One of our main results is a characterization of discrete integrability of linear differential equations with almost simple usual Galois group, based on a structure theorem for the Zariski dense difference algebraic subgroups of almost simple algebraic groups, which is a schematic version, in characteristic zero, of a result due to Z. Chatzidakis, E. Hrushovski, and Y. Peterzil.

We develop the theory of p-adic confluence of q-difference equations. The main result is the fact that, in the p-adic framework, a function is a (Taylor) solution of a differential equation if and only if it is a solution of a q-difference equation. This fact implies an equivalence, called confluence, between the category of differential equations and those of q-difference equations. We develop this theory by introducing a category of sheaves on the disk D−(1,1), for which the stalk at 1 is a differential equation, the stalk at q isa q-difference equation if q is not a root of unity, and the stalk at a root of unity ξ is a mixed object, formed by a differential equation and an action of σξ.