Two approaches to Sendov's conjecture (Q1265458)

For \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), \(n\geq 2\) let \({\mathcal P}_n\) be the set of all monic complex polynomials of degree \(n\) having all their zeros in the closed unit disk \(\overline D\). Sendov's conjecture is: Let \(p\in{\mathcal P}_n\) and \(a\in\overline D\) such that \(p(a)= 0\). Then the disk \(a+\overline D\) contains at least one zero of \(p'(z)\). The purpose of this paper is to study the Sendov conjecture using two potential approaches, a variational method, and a composite polynomial approach based on the coincidence theorem, a variant of Grace's apolarity theorem. To state some of the results of the paper consider the following notation: \[ p(z)= \prod^n_{i=1}(z- z_i)\in {\mathcal P}_n,\;p'(z)= n\prod^{n- 1}_{j= 1}(z- w_i),\;d(z_i)= \min_{1\leq j\leq n-1}| z_i- w_j|, \] \(d(p)= \max_{1\leq i\leq n}d(z_i)\), \(d({\mathcal P}_n)= \sup_{q\in{\mathcal P}_n}d(q)\), \({\mathcal S}(p)= \{s\in\{1,\dots, n\};\;d(z_s)= d(p)\}\), \({\mathcal J}(p)= \{j\in \{1,\dots,n- 1\};\;| z_s- w_j|= d(p)\}\) for \(s\in{\mathcal S}(p)\). A polynomial \(q_0\in{\mathcal P}_0\) is said to be extremal if \(d(q_0)= d({\mathcal P})_n\) holds. Let \({\mathcal P}_n'= \{p\in {\mathcal P}_n\); \(p\) has simple zeros\}. A necessary condition for \(p\in{\mathcal P}_n'\) to be a local maximum for \(d\) is given. Using the following theorem, a special case of a conjecture of Miller about a description of extremal polynomials is verified. Theorem: Let \(p\) be a local maximum for \(d\) such that \(n\in{\mathcal S}(p)\) and \(d(p)\geq| a|\). Then \(|{\mathcal J}(p)|= n-1\) if \(| a|\) is sufficiently close to \(1\).