Two-variable orthogonal polynomials of big q-Jacobi type

A four-parameter family of orthogonal polynomials in two discrete variables is defined for a weight function of basic hypergeometric type. The polynomials, which are expressed in terms of univariate big q-Jacobi polynomials, form an extension of Dunkl’s bivariate (little) q-Jacobi polynomials [C.F. Dunkl, Orthogonal polynomials in two variables of q-Hahn and q-Jacobi type, SIAM J. Algebr. Discrete Methods 1 (1980) 137-151]. We prove orthogonality property of the new polynomials, and show that they satisfy a three-term relation in a vector-matrix notation, as well as a second-order partial q-difference equation.     

A q-summation formula,the continuous q-Hahn polynomials and the big q-Jacobi polynomials

Using a general q-summation formula, we derive a generating function for the q-Hahn polynomials, which is used to give a complete proof of the orthogonality relation for the continuous q-Hahn polynomials. A new proof of the orthogonality relation for the big q-Jacobi polynomials is also given. A simple evaluation of the Nassrallah–Rahman integral is derived by using this summation formula. A new q-beta integral formula is established, which includes the Nassrallah–Rahman integral as a special case. The q-summation formula also allows us to recover several strange q-series identities.     

The structure relation for Askey–Wilson polynomials

An explicit structure relation for Askey–Wilson polynomials is given. This involves a divided q-difference operator which is skew symmetric with respect to the Askey–Wilson inner product and which sends polynomials of degree n   to polynomials of degree n+1$n+1$. By specialization of parameters and by taking limits, similar structure relations, as well as lowering and raising relations, can be obtained for other families in the q-Askey scheme and the Askey scheme. This is explicitly discussed for Jacobi polynomials, continuous q-Jacobi polynomials, continuous q-ultraspherical polynomials, and for big q-Jacobi polynomials. An already known structure relation for this last family can be obtained from the new structure relation by using the three-term recurrence relation and the second order q-difference formula. The results are also put in the framework of a more general theory. Their relationship with earlier work by Zhedanov and Bangerezako is discussed. There is also a connection with the string equation in discrete matrix models and with the Sklyanin algebra.     

On q-orthogonal polynomials, dual to little and big q-Jacobi polynomials

We derive discrete orthogonality relations for polynomials, dual to little and big q-Jacobi polynomials. This derivation essentially requires use of bases, consisting of eigenvectors of certain self-adjoint operators, which are representable by a Jacobi matrix. Recurrence relations for these polynomials are also given.     

The Vector-Valued Big <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-Jacobi Transform

Big q-Jacobi functions are eigenfunctions of a second-order q-difference operator L. We study L as an unbounded self-adjoint operator on an L ²-space of functions on ℝ with a discrete measure. We describe explicitly the spectral decomposition of L using an integral transform ℱ with two different big q-Jacobi functions as a kernel, and we construct the inverse of ℱ.      

New orthogonality relations for the continuous and the discrete q-ultraspherical polynomials

In a recent contribution [N.M. Atakishiyev, A.U. Klimyk, On discrete q-ultraspherical polynomials and their duals, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 306 (2005) 637-645], the so-named discrete q-ultraspherical polynomials were introduced as a specialization of the big q-Jacobi polynomials, and their orthogonality established for values of the parameter outside its commonly known domain but inside the range of validity of the conditions of Favard's theorem. In this paper we consider both the continuous and the discrete q-ultraspherical polynomials and we prove that their orthogonality is guaranteed for the whole range of the allowed parameters, even in those intriguing cases in which the three term recurrence relation breaks down. The presence of either the Askey-Wilson divided difference operator (in the continuous case), or the q-derivative operator (in the discrete one), provides the q-Sobolev character of the non-standard inner products introduced in our approach.     

Schur Q-polynomials, multiple hypergeometric series and enumeration of marked shifted tableaux

We study Schur Q-polynomials evaluated on a geometric progression, or equivalently q-enumeration of marked shifted tableaux, seeking explicit formulas that remain regular at q=1. We obtain several such expressions as multiple basic hypergeometric series, and as determinants and pfaffians of continuous q-ultraspherical or continuous q-Jacobi polynomials. As special cases, we obtain simple closed formulas for staircase-type partitions.     

Telescoping partial fractions decompositions, the little q-Jacobi functions of complex order, and the nonterminating q-Saalschütz sum

We use telescoping partial fractions decompositions to give new proofs of the orthogonality property and the normalization relation for the little q-Jacobi polynomials, and the q-Saalschütz sum. In [20], we followed the development [19] of Schur functions for partitions with complex parts, and we showed that there exist natural little q-Jacobi functions of complex order which satisfy extensions of the orthogonality property and normalization relation of the little q-Jacobi polynomials, and that these two results follow from and together imply the nonterminating form of the q-Saalschütz sum. Writing the q-Pochhammer symbol of complex order as a ratio of infinite products in the usual way, we obtain new telescoping partial fractions decomposition proofs of our results [20] for the little q-Jacobi functions of complex order. We give several new proofs of the q-Saalschütz sum and its nonterminating form. For our friends Dick and Liz 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification Primary—42C05; Secondary—33C45, 33C47     

Multivariate generalized Bernstein polynomials: identities for orthogonal polynomials of two variables

We introduce polynomials $B^n_{k}(\boldmath{x};\omega|q)$ of total degree n, where $\boldmath{k} = (k_1,\ldots,k_d)\in\mathbb N_0^d, \; 0\le k_1+\ldots+k_d\le n$ , and $\boldmath{x}=(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_d)\in\mathbb R^d$ , depending on two parameters q and ω, which generalize the multivariate classical and discrete Bernstein polynomials. For ω=0, we obtain an extension of univariate q-Bernstein polynomials, introduced by Phillips (Ann Numer Math 4:511–518, 1997). Basic properties of the new polynomials are given, including recurrence relations, q-differentiation rules and de Casteljau algorithm. For the case d=2, connections between $B^n_{k}(\boldmath{x};\omega|q)$ and bivariate orthogonal big q-Jacobi polynomials—introduced recently by the first two authors—are given, with the connection coefficients being expressed in terms of bivariate q-Hahn polynomials. As limiting forms of these relations, we give connections between bivariate q-Bernstein and Dunkl’s (little) q-Jacobi polynomials (SIAM J Algebr Discrete Methods 1:137–151, 1980), as well as between bivariate discrete Bernstein and Hahn polynomials.     

An analogue of the big <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-Jacobi polynomials in the algebra of symmetric functions

It is well known how to construct a system of symmetric orthogonal polynomials in an arbitrary finite number of variables from an arbitrary system of orthogonal polynomials on the real line. In the special case of the big q-Jacobi polynomials, the number of variables can be made infinite. As a result, in the algebra of symmetric functions, there arises an inhomogeneous basis whose elements are orthogonal with respect to some probability measure. This measure is defined on a certain space of infinite point configurations and hence determines a random point process.     

On discrete q-ultraspherical polynomials and their duals

A special case of the big q-Jacobi polynomials Pn(x;a,b,c;q), which corresponds to a=b=−c, is shown to satisfy a discrete orthogonality relation for imaginary values of the parameter a (outside of its commonly known domain 0<a<q⁻¹). Since Pn(x;qα,qα,−qα;q) tend to Gegenbauer (or ultraspherical) polynomials in the limit as q→1, this family represents another q-extension of these classical polynomials, different from the continuous q-ultraspherical polynomials of Rogers. For a dual family with respect to the polynomials Pn(x;a,a,−a;q) (i.e., for dual discrete q-ultraspherical polynomials) we also find new orthogonality relations with extremal measures.     

Bilinear Summation Formulas from Quantum Algebra Representations

The tensor product of a positive and a negative discrete series representation of the quantum algebra U_q(su(1,1)) decomposes as a direct integral over the principal unitary series representations. Discrete terms can appear, and these terms are a finite number of discrete series representations, or one complementary series representation. From the interpretation as overlap coefficients of little q-Jacobi functions and Al-Salam and Chihara polynomials in base q and base q^–1, two closely related bilinear summation formulas for the Al-Salam and Chihara polynomials are derived. The formulas involve Askey-Wilson polynomials, continuous dual q-Hahn polynomials and little q-Jacobi functions. The realization of the discrete series as q-difference operators on the spaces of holomorphic and anti-holomorphic functions, leads to a bilinear generating function for a certain type of ₂₁-series, which can be considered as a special case of the dual transmutation kernel for little q-Jacobi functions.     

LU factorizations, q = 0 limits, and p-adic interpretations of some q-hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials

For little q-Jacobi polynomials and q-Hahn polynomials we give particular q-hypergeometric series representations in which the termwise q = 0 limit can be taken. When rewritten in matrix form, these series representations can be viewed as LU factorizations. We develop a general theory of LU factorizations related to complete systems of orthogonal polynomials with discrete orthogonality relations which admit a dual system of orthogonal polynomials. For the q = 0 orthogonal limit functions we discuss interpretations on p-adic spaces. In the little 0-Jacobi case we also discuss product formulas. Dedicated to Dick Askey on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification Primary—33D45, 33D80 Work done at KdV Institute, Amsterdam and supported by NWO, project number 613.006.573.     

Quantum Hilbert matrices and orthogonal polynomials

Using the notion of quantum integers associated with a complex number q≠0, we define the quantum Hilbert matrix and various extensions. They are Hankel matrices corresponding to certain little q-Jacobi polynomials when |q|<1, and for the special value they are closely related to Hankel matrices of reciprocal Fibonacci numbers called Filbert matrices. We find a formula for the entries of the inverse quantum Hilbert matrix.     

On a Continued Fraction Formula of Wall

We study the combinatorics of a continued fraction formula due to Wall. We also derive the orthogonality of little q-Jacobi polynomials from this formula, as Wall did for little q-Laguerre polynomials.     

Generalized Bernstein Polynomials

We introduce polynomials B ⁿ _i (x;ω|q), depending on two parameters q and ω, which generalize classical Bernstein polynomials, discrete Bernstein polynomials defined by Sablonnière, as well as q-Bernstein polynomials introduced by Phillips. Basic properties of the new polynomials are given. Also, formulas relating B ⁿ _i (x;ω|q), big q-Jacobi and q-Hahn (or dual q-Hahn) polynomials are presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A characterization of some q-orthogonal polynomials

We show that the only orthogonal polynomials satisfying a q-difference equation of the form π(x)D _q P _n (x) = (α _n x + β _n )P _n (x) + γ _n P _n−1(x) where π(x) is a polynomial of degree 2, are the Al-Salam Carlitz 1, little and big q-Laguerre, the little and big q-Jacobi, and the q-Bessel polynomials. This is a q-analog of the work carried out in [1]. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification Primary—33C45, 33D45     

On q-orthogonal polynomials over a collection of complex origin intervals related to little q-Jacobi polynomials

We construct the sequence of orthogonal polynomials with respect to an inner product which is defined by q-integrals over a collection of intervals in the complex plane. We prove that they are connected with little q-Jacobi polynomials. For such polynomials we discuss a few representations, a recurrence relation, a difference equation, a Rodrigues-type formula and a generating function. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification Primary—33D45, 42C05