On the best approximation of functions on the sphere in the metric of \(L_ p(S^ n), 1<p<{\infty}\) (Q1261259)

Let \(S^n\) \((n\in\mathbb{N})\) be the unit sphere in the space \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) with center at the origin, let \(L_p(S^n)\), \(1<p<\infty\), be the space of measurable functions \(f(\theta)\), \(\theta\in S^n\), with finite norm \(|f|_p=(\int_{S^n}|f(\theta)|^pd\theta)^{1/p}\), where \(d\theta\) is the elementary area on the sphere \(S^n\), let \(E_m(f)_p\) be the best approximation of the function \(f\in L_p(S^n)\), \(1<p<\infty\), by spherical polynomials of order at most \(m\), and let \(\omega_r(f;\tau)_p\) be the spherical modulus of smoothness of order \(r\) of the function \(f\). The author's basic results consist in finding upper and lower bounds for \(\omega_r(f;\tau)_p\), \(0<\tau<1\), in terms of \(E_m(f)_p\), \(m=0,1,\dots,\) and in terms of the modulus of smoothness of order greater than \(r\). He proves the accuracy of the estimates established. In the periodic case the results were known.