Continued fractions associated with trigonometric and other strong moment problems (Q1096823)

If P and Q are polynomials in z of degree at most n (Q(z)\(\neq 0)\), then P/Q is called the (n,n) two point Padè approximant of order (r,t) for a pair \((L_ 0,L_{\infty})\) of formal power series (fps) \[ (1.1)\quad L_ 0=C_ 0^{(0)}+\sum^{\infty}_{k=1}c_ kz^ k,\quad L_{\infty}=-C_ 0^{(\infty)}-\sum^{\infty}_{k=1}C_{-k}z^{- k},\quad C_ 0=C_ 0^{(0)}+C_ 0^{(\infty)} \] provided \[ (1.2)\quad L_ 0-\Lambda_ 0(P/Q)=O(z^{\rho}),\quad L_{\infty}- \Lambda_{\infty}(P/Q)=O((1/z)^ t),\quad \gamma +t\geq 2n+1 \] where n,r,t are nonnegative integers. P/Q is called the weak (n,n) two point Padé approximant of order (r,t) for \((L_ 0,L_{\infty})\) if (1.3) \(QL_ 0-P=O(z^{\gamma}),\) \(QL_{\infty}-P=O(()^{t-n}),\gamma +t\geq 2n+1\). The symbol \(O(z^{\gamma})\) denotes a fps in increasing powers of z starting with a power not less than r. If R is a rational function, the symbols \(\Lambda_ 0(R)\) and \(\Lambda\) (R) denote the Taylor and Laurent expansion of R at 0 and \(\infty\) respectively. The present paper deals with continued fractions of the form \[ (1.8a)\quad \beta_ 0+\frac{\alpha_ 1}{1}+\frac{1}{\beta_ 2z}+\frac{\alpha_ 3a}{\beta_ 3}+\frac{1}{\beta_ 4z}+\frac{\alpha_ 5z}{\beta_ 5}+\frac{1}{\beta_ 6z}..., \] where (1.8b) \(\alpha_ 1\neq 0,\alpha_{2n+1}=1-\beta_{2n}\beta_{2n+1}\neq 0\), \(n=1,2,3,...,\alpha_{2n+1},\beta_ n\in C\), called PC-fractions. Theorem (2.1) is a generalisation of the result of \textit{A. Magnus} [Lect. Notes Math. 932, 176-193 (1982; Zbl 0497.30008)]. Theorem (2.2) is a generalisation of the first author [Padé and ration Approx., Theory and Appl., Proc. int. Symp., Tampa/Florida 1976, 163-171 (1977; Zbl 0368.41015)] and the first and the third author [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 83, 388-390 (1977; Zbl 0361.30015)]. On the line of the first and third author and \textit{H. Waadeland} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 261, 503-528 (1980; Zbl 0449.30004)], the authors prove that the PC-fraction is positive. Theorem (3.2) is a new result on the line of the first and the third author [Continued Fractions: Analytic Theory and Applications. Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its applications, Vol. 11. Section, Analysis (1980; Zbl 0445.30003)]. In theorem (3.4) the authors show that positive PC-fraction gives rise to the Szegö polynomials (orthogonal on the unit circle). It is a new result on this line. Theorem (4.1) is a new result on the line of \textit{J. H. McCabe} [J. Inst. Math. Appl. 15, 363- 372 (1975; Zbl 0303.40003)] and \textit{J. H. McCabe} and \textit{J. A. Murphy} [ibid. 17, 233-247 (1976; Zbl 0339.65008)], where they first show the connection between two point Padé approximants and general T-fractions (M-fractions). In the present paper the authors improve their own results and prove some new results, left open by previous workers on this line.