The Genetic Sums' Representation for the Moments of a System of Stieltjes Functions and its Application

This paper deals with the spectral problems for high-order nonsymmetric difference operators. The method of investigation is based on the analysis of the genetic sums formulas for the moments of the operator. The parameters of these sums are shown to be connected with coefficients of the introduced vector Stieltjes continued fraction. The connections with vector orthogonality, Hermite—Padé approximation, and Hankel determinants are investigated. This gives a tool for the analysis of the solution of the direct and inverse spectral problem of the operator. It is applied to the integration of hierarchy of the discrete KdV equations. The existence of a global solution is proved. July 13, 1998. Date revised: July 12, 1999. Date accepted: July 26, 1999.