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CYCLES OF FEAR:
PERIODIC BLOODSUCKING RATES FOR VAMPIRES

R. F. Hartl, Universität Wien, Austria

A. Mehlmann, Technische Universität Wien, Austria

A. Novak, Universität Wien, Austria

Abstract:

In this paper, we present a new approach for modeling the dynamic intertemporal confrontation between vampires and humans. It is assumed that the change of the vampiristic consumption rate induces costs and that the vampire community also derives some utility from possessing humans and not only from consuming them. Using the Hopf bifurcation theorem it can be shown that cyclical bloodsucking strategies are optimal. These results are in accordance with empirical evidence.

Keywords: maximum principle; limit cycles; economics of human resources; vampire myth

To the feather-fool and lobcock, the pseudo-scientist and materialist, these deeper and obscurer things must, of course, appear a grandam's tale.
Montague Summers. The Vampire in Europe