Generalized Vandermonde determinants and mean values (Q941509)

Given the numbers \(x_0<x_1<\cdots<x_n\), a Vandermonde determinant (VD) \(V(x)\) is the determinant of a matrix with \((i,j)\)th element \(x_i^{j}\), \(i,j=0,\ldots,n\). A generalized Vandermonde determinant (GVD) \(V(x,r,k)\) is the same, but the elements in column \(k\) are replaced by \(x_i^{k+r}\). The results of this paper include: several properties relating GVDs with the corresponding VD; expressions for the derivatives of GVDs with respect to \(r\); formulas expressing GVDs in terms of generalized elementary symmetric means; integral expressions for the GVDs; and a discussion of generalized Vandermonde mean values [see e.g., \textit{P. S. Bullen}, Handbook of means and their inequalities. Mathematics and its applications. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers (2003; Zbl 1035.26024)]. The latter depend on two parameters and include for example generalized logarithmic means.