Characterization of semi-classical orthogonal polynomials on nonuniform lattices

We state and prove characterization theorem for semi-classical orthogonal polynomials on nonuniform lattices (quadratic lattices of a discrete or q-discrete variable). This theorem proves the equivalence between the four characterization properties, namely, the Pearson type equation for the linear functional, the strictly quasi-orthogonality of the derivatives, the structure relation, and the Riccati equation for the formal Stieltjes function. We give the classification of the semi-classical linear functional of class one on nonuniform lattice. Using the definition and the properties of the associated orthogonal polynomials, we prove that semi-classical orthogonal polynomials satisfy the second-order divided difference equation on nonuniform lattices.     

Orthogonal matrix polynomials, scalar-type Rodrigues’ formulas and Pearson equations

Some families of orthogonal matrix polynomials satisfying second-order differential equations with coefficients independent of n have recently been introduced (see [Internat. Math. Res. Notices 10 (2004) 461–484]). An important difference with the scalar classical families of Jacobi, Laguerre and Hermite, is that these matrix families do not satisfy scalar type Rodrigues’ formulas of the type (ΦⁿW)⁽ⁿ⁾W^-1, where Φ is a matrix polynomial of degree not bigger than 2. An example of a modified Rodrigues’ formula, well suited to the matrix case, appears in [Internat. Math. Res. Notices 10 (2004) 482].In this note, we discuss some of the reasons why a second order differential equation with coefficients independent of n does not imply, in the matrix case, a scalar type Rodrigues’ formula and show that scalar type Rodrigues’ formulas are most likely not going to play in the matrix valued case the important role they played in the scalar valued case. We also mention the roles of a scalar-type Pearson equation as well as that of a noncommutative version of it.     

Orthogonal polynomials for exponential weights on

Let I=[0,d), where d is finite or infinite. Let , where and Q is continuous and increasing on I, with limit ∞ at d. We study the orthonormal polynomials associated with the weight , obtaining bounds on the orthonormal polynomials, zeros, and Christoffel functions. In addition, we obtain restricted range inequalities.     

Nonlinear functional equations satisfied by orthogonal polynomials

Let c be a linear functional defined by its moments c(xⁱ)=c_i for i=0,1,…. We proved that the nonlinear functional equations P(t)=c(P(x)P(αx+t)) and P(t)=c(P(x)P(xt)) admit polynomial solutions which are the polynomials belonging to the family of formal orthogonal polynomials with respect to a linear functional related to c. This equation relates the polynomials of the family with those of the scaled and shifted family. Other types of nonlinear functional equations whose solutions are formal orthogonal polynomials are also presented. Applications to Legendre and Chebyshev polynomials are given. Then, orthogonality with respect to a definite inner product is studied. When c is an integral functional with respect to a weight function, the preceding functional equations are nonlinear integral equations, and these results lead to new characterizations of orthogonal polynomials on the real line, on the unit circle, and, more generally, on an algebraic curve.     

Orthogonal polynomials and differential equations in neutron-transport and radiative-transfer theories

There is a set of orthogonal polynomials {g_n(x)} which plays a relevant role in the treatment of the case of anisotropic scattering in neutron-transport and radiative-transfer theories. They appear also in the spherical harmonics treatment of the isotropic scattering. These polynomials are orthogonal with respect to a weight function which is continuous in the interval [−1, + 1] and has a finite number of symmetric Dirac masses. Although some other structural properties of these polynomials (e.g., the three-term recurrence relation) as well as some properties of their zeros have been published, much more need to be known. In particular, neither the second-order differential equation nor the density of zeros (i.e., the number of zeros per unit of interval) of the polynomial g_n(x) have been found. Here we obtain the second-order differential equation in the case that these polynomials are hypergeometric, so leaving open the general case. Furthermore, the exact expressions of the moments around the origin of the density of zeros of g_n(x) are given in the general case. The asymptotic density of zeros is also pointed out. Finally, these polynomials are shown to belong to the Nevai's class.     

Orthogonal polynomials and analytic functions associated to positive definite matrices

For a positive definite infinite matrix A, we study the relationship between its associated sequence of orthonormal polynomials and the asymptotic behaviour of the smallest eigenvalue of its truncation An of size n×n. For the particular case of A being a Hankel or a Hankel block matrix, our results lead to a characterization of positive measures with finite index of determinacy and of completely indeterminate matrix moment problems, respectively.     

On a set of orthogonal polynomials associated with a quantized physical model

In this paper we investigate a set of orthogonal polynomials. We relate the polynomials to the Biconfluent Heun equation and present an explicit expression for the polynomials in terms of the classical Hermite polynomials. The orthogonality with a varying measure and the recurrence relation are also presented.     

Formulas for recurrence coefficients of orthogonal polynomials related to Lorentzian-like weights

One considers the recurrence relation of orthogonal polynomials related to weights |t|^A(1+t^2r/c^2r)^-B on the whole real line, for various integer exponents 2r, and real A>-1, B>0.     

Second order partial differential equations for gradients of orthogonal polynomials in two variables

In this work, we introduce the classical orthogonal polynomials in two variables as the solutions of a matrix second order partial differential equation involving matrix polynomial coefficients, the usual gradient operator, and the divergence operator. Here we show that the successive gradients of these polynomials also satisfy a matrix second order partial differential equation closely related to the first one.     

Matrix differential equations and scalar polynomials satisfying higher order recursions

We show that any scalar differential operator with a family of polynomials as its common eigenfunctions leads canonically to a matrix differential operator with the same property. The construction of the corresponding family of matrix valued polynomials has been studied in [A. Durán, A generalization of Favard's theorem for polynomials satisfying a recurrence relation, J. Approx. Theory 74 (1993) 83-109; A. Durán, On orthogonal polynomials with respect to a positive definite matrix of measures, Canad. J. Math. 47 (1995) 88-112; A. Durán, W. van Assche, Orthogonal matrix polynomials and higher order recurrence relations, Linear Algebra Appl. 219 (1995) 261-280] but the existence of a differential operator having them as common eigenfunctions had not been considered. This correspondence goes only one way and most matrix valued situations do not arise in this fashion. We illustrate this general construction with a few examples. In the case of some families of scalar valued polynomials introduced in [F.A. Grünbaum, L. Haine, Bispectral Darboux transformations: An extension of the Krall polynomials, Int. Math. Res. Not. 8 (1997) 359-392] we take a first look at the algebra of all matrix differential operators that share these common eigenfunctions and uncover a number of phenomena that are new to the matrix valued case.     

Varying weights for orthogonal polynomials with monotonically varying recurrence coefficients

We consider orthogonal polynomials , where n is the degree of the polynomial and N is a discrete parameter. These polynomials are orthogonal with respect to a varying weight W_N which depends on the parameter N and they satisfy a recurrence relation with varying recurrence coefficients which we assume to be varying monotonically as N tends to infinity. We establish the existence of the limit and link this limit to an external field for an equilibrium problem in logarithmic potential theory.     

Asymptotics of orthogonal polynomials with asymptotic Freud-like weights

We derive uniform asymptotic expansions for polynomials orthogonal with respect to a class of weight functions that are real analytic and behave asymptotically like the Freud weight at infinity. Although the limiting zero distributions are the same as in the Freud cases, the asymptotic expansions are different due to the fact that the weight functions may have a finite or infinite number of zeros on the imaginary axis. To resolve the singularities caused by these zeros, an auxiliary function is introduced in the Riemann–Hilbert analysis. Asymptotic formulas are established in several regions covering the whole complex plane. We take the continuous dual Hahn polynomials as an example to illustrate our main results. Some numerical verifications are also given.     

Orthogonal polynomials associated with Coulomb wave functions

A new class of orthogonal polynomials associated with Coulomb wave functions is introduced. These polynomials play a role analogous to that the Lommel polynomials have in the theory of Bessel functions. The orthogonality measure for this new class is described in detail. In addition, the orthogonality measure problem is discussed on a more general level. Apart from this, various identities derived for the new orthogonal polynomials may be viewed as generalizations of certain formulas known from the theory of Bessel functions. A key role in these derivations is played by a Jacobi (tridiagonal) matrix _JL$J_L$ whose eigenvalues coincide with the reciprocal values of the zeros of the regular Coulomb wave function _FL(η,ρ)$F_L(\eta ,\rho )$. The spectral zeta function corresponding to the regular Coulomb wave function or, more precisely, to the respective tridiagonal matrix is studied as well.     

Another connection between orthogonal polynomials and L-orthogonal polynomials

We consider a connection that exists between orthogonal polynomials associated with positive measures on the real line and orthogonal Laurent polynomials associated with strong measures of the class S³[0,β,b]. Examples are given to illustrate the main contribution in this paper.     

Orthogonal polynomials and Gaussian quadrature for refinable weight functions

We show how to compute the modified moments of a refinable weight function directly from its mask in O(N²n) rational operations, where N is the desired number of moments and n the length of the mask. Three immediate applications of such moments are:

• the expansion of a refinable weight function as a Legendre series;

• the generation of the polynomials orthogonal with respect to a refinable weight function;

• the calculation of Gaussian quadrature formulas for refinable weight functions.

In the first two cases, all operations are rational and can in principle be performed exactly.

Asymptotically extremal polynomials with respect to varying weights and application to Sobolev orthogonality

We study the asymptotic behavior of the zeros of a sequence of polynomials whose weighted norms, with respect to a sequence of weight functions, have the same nth root asymptotic behavior as the weighted norms of certain extremal polynomials. This result is applied to obtain the (contracted) weak zero distribution for orthogonal polynomials with respect to a Sobolev inner product with exponential weights of the form e−φ(x), giving a unified treatment for the so-called Freud (i.e., when φ has polynomial growth at infinity) and Erdös (when φ grows faster than any polynomial at infinity) cases. In addition, we provide a new proof for the bound of the distance of the zeros to the convex hull of the support for these Sobolev orthogonal polynomials.     

Euler integral symmetries for a deformed Heun equation and symmetries of the Painlevé PVI equation

Euler integral transformations relate solutions of ordinary linear differential equations and generate integral representations of the solutions in a number of cases or relations between solutions of constrained equations (Euler symmetries) in some other cases. These relations lead to the corresponding symmetries of the monodromy matrices. We discuss Euler symmetries in the case of the simplest Fuchsian system that is equivalent to a deformed Heun equation, which is in turn related to the Painlevé PVI equation. The existence of integral symmetries of the deformed Heun equation leads to the corresponding symmetries of the PVI equation. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 155, No. 2, pp. 252–264, May, 2008.