Polynomial approximation of piecewise analytic functions on a compact subset of the real line (Q1048980)

Let \(E \subset \mathbb{R}\) be compact, and let \(\mathbb{P}_n\) be the set of all real polynomials of degree at most \(n\). For each continuous function \(f:E \to \mathbb{R}\), let \[ \mathcal{E}_n(f,E):= \inf_{p \in \mathbb{P}_n} \sup_{x \in E} \big |f(x)-p(x)\big |\,. \] The classical theory of Bernstein states that, for every \(x_0 \in (-1,1)\) and \(\alpha>0\) (not an even integer), there exists a finite nonzero limit \[ \lim_{n \to \infty} n^{\alpha} \mathcal{E}_n\big(|x-x_0|^{\alpha},[-1,1]\big)\,. \] It is a natural question to study this problem by replacing the interval \([-1,1]\) with a general compact set \(E\). Remarkable results of \textit{V. Totik} [Metric properties of harmonic measures. Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 867, 163 p. (2006; Zbl 1107.31001)] provide answers to this question in terms of Dini type conditions involving the Lebesgue measure density of the complement of \(E\). Here the author obtains some generalizations of Totik's results, using capacity densities in place of measure densities.