Extreme Pick-Nevanlinna interpolating functions (Q1078719)

Let I denote the class of analytic functions f on \(\Delta\), the open unit disk in \({\mathbb{C}}\), satisfying: (i) Re f\(>0\), (ii) \(f(0)=1\), (iii) \(f(z_ k)=w_ k\), \(k=1,...,n\), where the \(z_ k\) are given distinct points of \(\Delta\)-\(\{\) \(0\}\) and the \(w_ k\) are given points of \(\{\) Re z\(>0\}\), n being a nonnegative integer. It is supposed that I contains more than one member. The class I is a compact convex subset of the space of analytic functions on \(\Delta\). It is shown that the extreme points of I are precisely the members of I having constant valence on \(\{\) Re z\(>0\}\), the value \(\nu\) of the valence satisfying \(1+n\leq \nu \leq 1+2n\). Use is made of the Poisson-Stieltjes representation for analytic functions on \(\Delta\) with non-negative real part and an elementary fact from the Pick-Nevanlinna interpolation theory. A representation formula for the extreme points of I is given in terms of a representation formula of Nevanlinna-Walsh type for a related Pick-Nevanlinna interpolation problem where the interpolating functions take values of modulus less than one. The extreme points of I are also characterized in terms of the Hermitian forms of the Pick theory.