Contiguity relations of generalized confluent hypergeometric functions (Q1320646)

Generalized confluent hypergeometric systems were formulated in the earlier papers of \textit{I. M. Gel'fand}, \textit{V. S. Retakh} and \textit{V. V. Serganova} [Sov. Math. Dokl. 37, No. 1, 8-12 (1988); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 298, No. 1, 17-21 (1988; Zbl 0699.33012)] and of \textit{H. Kimura}, \textit{Y. Haraoka} and \textit{K. Takano} [Proc. Jap. Acad., Ser. A 68, 290-295 (1992; Zbl 0773.33004)]. This paper shows how to get contiguity operators between two such systems with distinct parameters differing by integers and proves that the set of such operators has a Lie algebra structure. This generalizes a result of the reviewer [SIAM J. Math. Anal. 22, No. 3, 821-846 (1991; Zbl 0805.33003)]. Note that each of such operators gives a contiguity relation among the confluent hypergeometric functions and that the Lie algebra as a whole explains the symmetry of the system.