Padé-type approximants for functions of Markov-Stieltjes type (Q1178595)

In this interesting paper, the authors study convergence of Padé-type approximants to Markov functions \[ f(z):=\int_{-1}^ 1{d\alpha(t) \over 1+zt}. \] Here \(\alpha\) is a positive measure with support containing infinitely many points. Given \(n\geq k\geq 0\), let \(v(z)\) be the monic polynomial of degree \(k\) whose zeros are \(\beta_{jn}\), \(1\leq j\leq k\), and choose polynomials \(w(z)\) and \(P(z)\) of degrees at most \(n-k\), and \(n-1\) respectively such that \[ (fvw-P)(z)=O(z^{2n-k}). \] We call \(P/(vw)\) a Padé-type approximant of type \((n-1,n)\) with preassigned poles at the zeros of \(f\). Assuming the existence of a suitable quadrature formula, the authors give an explicit bound for the error of approximation of \(f\) by \(P/(vw)\). Some examples are given to show how convergence can fail when the preassigned poles \(\beta_{jn}\) are not chosen carefully. The implications of classical results of Walsh and Bagby for the more general case of complex measures \(\alpha\) are also considered.