Extremal properties of ultraspherical polynomials (Q1321521)

It is known that among all polynomials \(P_ n(x)= \sum_{j\equiv 0}^ n a_ j x^ j\) satisfying \(\max_{-1\leq x\leq 1} | P_ n (x)|\leq 1\), the \(\max | a_ n|\) is obtained for the Chebyshev polynomials \(T_ n(x)\) of the first kind. Similarly, \(U_ n(x)\) maximizes \(| a_ n|\) among all polynomials \(P_ n(x)\) satisfying \(\max_{-1\leq x\leq 1} \sqrt{1- x^ 2} | P_ n(x)|\). Here the author gives a generalization of these problems: Let \(P_ n\) be a set of polynomials of degree \(n\in \mathbb{N}\), and for \(\ell= 0,1,\dots, n\) let \(P_ \ell(x)= \sum_{j\equiv 0}^ \ell a_{\ell j} x^{j'}\). For \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), set \[ {\mathcal P}_ n:= \biggl\{(P_ 1,\dots,P_ n)\in {\mathbf P}_ 1\times \dots\times {\mathbf P}_ n:\;\max_{-1\leq x\leq 1} \sum_{j=1}^ n \beta_ j P_ j^ 2(x)\leq 1 \biggr\} \] where \(\beta_ j\geq 0,\) \(\sum_{j=1}^ n \beta_ j =1\). (If \(\beta_ \ell=0\), \(| a_{\ell\ell} |^{\beta_ ell}\), is taken to be 1 and the polynomials of degree \(\ell\) are excluded from \({\mathcal P}_ n\)). Similarly set \[ Q_ n:= \biggl\{ (Q_ 0,\dots, Q_ n)\in {\mathbf P}_ 0\times \dots\times {\mathbf P}_ n:\;\max_{-1\leq x\leq 1} (1-x^ 2) \sum_{\ell=0}^ n \beta_ \ell Q_ \ell^ 2(x) \leq 1\biggr\} \] when \(\beta_ j\geq 0\) and \(\sum_ 1^ n \beta_ j=1\). The author solves the following problems P and Q of finding: \[ \begin{aligned} \sup &\biggl\{ \prod_{\ell=1}^ n| m_ \ell(P_ \ell)|^{\beta_ \ell}:\;(P_ 1,\dots, P_ n)\in {\mathcal P}_ n \biggr\}\tag{P}\\ \text{and}\sup &\biggl\{\prod_{\ell=0}^ n | m_ \ell (Q_ \ell)|^{\beta_ \ell}:\;(Q_ n,\dots, Q_ n)\in Q_ n\biggr\}. \tag{Q}\end{aligned} \] These problems are solved by first solving a dual problem of minimizing some quantities related to determinants of Hankel matrices. The solutions of the problems P and Q are obtained in terms of ultraspherical polynomials. Numerous interesting examples are provided. Thus when \(n=3\), \(\beta_ 1= \beta_ 2= \beta_ 3= {1\over 3}\), the problem P is to find the maximum \(\prod_{\ell=1}^ 3 | m_ \ell (P_ \ell)|\) where \(P_ 1^ 2(x)+ P_ 2^ 2(x)+ P_ 3^ 2(x)\leq 3\) for \(x\in [-1,1]\). In this case it is seen that \(P_ 1(x)= \sqrt{5\over 3}x\), \(P_ 2(x)= {5\over 2} (x^ 2- {3\over 5})\), \(P_ 3(x)= {5\over 2} \sqrt{3} (x^ 3- {13\over 15} x)\). These polynomials are orthogonal polynomials with respect to the measure \(\xi^*\) which puts equal masses at the points 1, \(-{1\over {\sqrt{5}}}\), \({1\over {\sqrt{5}}}\), 1 (zeros of \((1-x^ 2) C_ 2^{(3/2)} (x)\)).