On a class of exponential-type operators and their limit semigroups (Q2566252)

\textit{F. Altomare} and \textit{I. Carbone} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 213, 308--333 (1997; Zbl 0894.35044)], \textit{E. Mangino} [Constructive Approximation 18, 443--466 (2002; Zbl 1037.41015)], respectively \textit{F. Altomare} and \textit{E. Mangino} [Positivity 5, 239--257 (2001; Zbl 1011.47028)] proved that suitable iterates of the Szász-Mirakyan, Post-Widder, respectively Baskakov operators converge to \(C_0\)-semigroups of positive operators acting on suitable weighted spaces of continuous functions on \([0,+\infty)\). The generators of these semigroups are the differential operators \(A_iu=\frac{1}{2}p_iu''\) defined on suitable domains, where \(p_1(x)=x, p_2(x)=x^2,\) respectively \(p_3(x)=x(1+x)\), \(x\geq 0\). All the above mentioned approximation processes are contained in the class of exponential-type operators which are defined by using a strictly positive, analytic function \(p\in C[0,+\infty)\). In this paper the differential operator \(Au=\frac{1}{2}pu''\) is considered on a suitable domain; under appropriate assumptions on the growth at infinity of \(p\) and its derivatives it is proved that \(A\) generates a \(C_0\)-semigroup \((T(t))_{t\geq 0}\) of positive operators and this semigroup can be represented as a limit of iterates of the exponential-type operators corresponding to \(p\). It is shown also that \((T(t))_{t\geq 0}\) is the transition semigroup of a continuous Markov process on \([0,+\infty]\). In the particular case \(p(x)=x^2\), corresponding to the Post-Widder operators, the stochastic differential equation associated with \(A\) is considered; by using its solution an integral representation of the semigroup is discussed and then used in order to investigate the asymptotic behaviour of the semigroup on bounded continuous functions.