Best Meromorphic Approximation of Markov Functions on the Unit Circle

Let E \subset(-1,1) be a compact set, let μ be a positive Borel measure with support \supp μ =E , and let H _p (G), 1≤ p ≤∈fty, be the Hardy space of analytic functions on the open unit disk G with circumference Γ={z \colon |z|=1} . Let Δ _n,p be the error in best approximation of the Markov function \frac{1}{2π i} ∈t_E \frac{d μ(x)}{z-x} in the space L _p (Γ) by meromorphic functions that can be represented in the form h=P/Q , where P ∈ H _p (G), Q is a polynomial of degree at most n , Q\not \equiv 0 . We investigate the rate of decrease of Δ _n,p , 1≤ p ≤∈fty , and its connection with n -widths. The convergence of the best meromorphic approximants and the limiting distribution of poles of the best approximants are described in the case when 1<p≤∈fty and the measure μ with support E=a,b] satisfies the Szegő condition ∈t_a^b \frac{\log(d μ/ d x)}{\sqrt{(x-a)(b-x)}} dx >- ∈fty. July 27, 2000. Final version received: May 19, 2001.