Difference Equations and Discriminants for Discrete Orthogonal Polynomials

We prove that any set of polynomials orthogonal with respect to a discrete measure supported on equidistant points contained in a half line satisfy a second order difference equation. We also give a discrete analogue of the discriminant and give a general formula for the discrete discriminant of a discrete orthogonal polynomial. As an application we give explicit evaluations of the discrete discriminants of the Meixner and the Hahn polynomials. A difference analogue of the Bethe Ansatz equations is also mentioned.Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS 99-70865