Polynomials defined by 5-term recurrence relations, banded Toeplitz matrices, and reality of zeros (Q2166141)

The recurrence relation \(P_n(z)=zP_{n-1}(z)+\alpha P_{n-2}(z)+\beta P_{n-3}(z)+\gamma P_{n-4}(z)\), \(P_0=1\), \(P_n=0\) for \(n<0\), \(\alpha,\beta,\gamma\in\mathbb{R}\), \(z\in\mathbb{C}\) is considered. A polynomial \(P_n\) is hyperbolic if all its zeros are real. The main theorem gives conditions on the coefficients \((\alpha,\beta,\gamma)\) such that all the polynomials in the sequence \(\{P_n\}_{n\ge 0}\) are hyperbolic. The approach taken is by considering \(P_n\) as the characteristic polynomial of an \(n\times n\) principle submatrix of an infinite banded Toeplitz matrix whose symbol is the Laurent polynomial \(b(z)=-z^{-1}+\alpha z+\beta z^2+\gamma z^3\). The general result of \textit{B. Shapiro} and \textit{F. Štampach} [Constr. Approx. 49, No. 2, 191--226 (2019; Zbl 1416.15022)] solves the problem by requiring that the preimage \(b^{-1}(\mathbb{R})\) must contain a Jordan curve encircling the origin. The author translates this in terms of the discriminants of a quartic polynomial having at least 2 real zeros and some extra conditions on the parameters.