Generalized orthogonality and continued fractions (Q1900225)

In the theory of orthogonal polynomials the connection between continued fractions (\(J\)-, \(T\)-fractions) and orthogonality using a so-called Favard-theorem is well known. The authors extend this connection to two types of recurrence relations that are linked to rational interpolation. The first type is \[ R_I: P_n (x)- (x- c_n) P_{n-1} (x)+ \lambda_n (x- a_n) P_{n-2} (x)=0, \] and the second \[ R_{II}: P_n (x)- (x- c_n) P_{n-1} (x)+ \lambda_n (x- a_n) (x- b_n) P_{n-2} (x) =0. \] For \(R_I\)-fractions a Favard theorem is proved and a biorthogonality relation for rational functions is established (including the explicit evaluation of a certain \(q\)-beta integral) while for \(R_{II}\)-fractions a representation theorem for moment functionals is given and convergence of a corresponding continued fraction is studied. The paper contains a wealth of material (7 examples, new results and recovering known ones). The examples include a.o. biorthogonal \({}_4 \varphi_3\) rational functions, biorthogonal rational functions due to Al-Salam and Ismail. This work is a must for people interested in orthogonality and hypergeometric/basic hypergeometric functions.