On the recurrence coefficients of the generalized little q-Laguerre polynomials

In this paper we consider a semi-classical variation of the weight related to the little q-Laguerre polynomials and obtain a second order second degree discrete equation for the recurrence coefficients in the three-term recurrence relation.     

Facing linear difference equations through hypergroup methods

We investigate a class of second-order linear difference equations by applying results of harmonic analysis on polynomial hypergroups. For the scalar case we show that the solutions are either bounded by the modulus of the initial value or are unbounded. For the Hilbert space-valued case we establish a concrete representation of the solutions whenever they are bounded and stationary. Among various examples we discuss those corresponding to Jacobi polynomials.     

Nonlinear equations for the recurrence coefficients of discrete orthogonal polynomials

We study polynomials orthogonal on a uniform grid. We show that each weight function gives two potentials and each potential leads to a structure relation (lowering operator). These results are applied to derive second order difference equations satisfied by the orthogonal polynomials and nonlinear difference equations satisfied by the recursion coefficients in the three-term recurrence relations.     

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.     

Laguerre-Freud equations for Generalized Hahn polynomials of type I

We derive a system of difference equations satisfied by the three-term recurrence coefficients of some families of discrete orthogonal polynomials.     

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.     

On the asymptotics of some difference equations

We prove two inclusion theorems regarding a difference equation and apply them in getting the asymptotics of positive solutions of some concrete difference equations.     

On the fourth-order difference equation for the associated Meixner polynomials

Three equivalent forms of the fourth-order difference equation obeyed by the associated Meixner polynomials (with a nonnegative real association parameter) are derived from a refinement of a recent result due to Letessier et al. (1996).     

A miraculously commuting family of orthogonal matrix polynomials satisfying second order differential equations

We find structural formulas for a family (P_n)_n of matrix polynomials of arbitrary size orthogonal with respect to the weight matrix e^−t2e^Ate^A∗t, where A is certain nilpotent matrix. It turns out that this family is a paradigmatic example of the many new phenomena that show the big differences between scalar and matrix orthogonality. Surprisingly, the polynomials P_n, n≥0, form a commuting family. This commuting property is a genuine and miraculous matrix setting because, in general, the coefficients of P_n do not commute with those of P_m, n≠m.     

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.     

On the behaviour of nonautonomous difference equations

We obtain in this work a repeller version of a criterion previously obtained for the exponential stability and improve a condition for asymptotic stability of equilibrium points of the nonautonomous higher order difference equations by weak contraction arguments.     

On the stability of nonautonomous difference equations

In this paper, we obtain new sufficient conditions for the asymptotic stability and instability of equilibrium points of the nonautonomous higher order difference equations by means of weak contractions and weak expansions.     

Determining radii of meromorphy via orthogonal polynomials on the unit circle

Using a convergence theorem for Fourier–Padé approximants constructed from orthogonal polynomials on the unit circle, we prove an analogue of Hadamard's theorem for determining the radius of m-meromorphy of a function analytic on the unit disk and apply this to the location of poles of the reciprocal of Szeg functions.     

Hermite polynomials on the plane

The space of bivariate generalised Hermite polynomials of degree n is invariant under rotations. We exploit this symmetry to construct an orthonormal basis for which consists of the rotations of a single polynomial through the angles , ℓ=0,...n. Thus we obtain an orthogonal expansion which retains as much of the symmetry of as is possible. Indeed we show that a continuous version of this orthogonal expansion exists.