Modified classical orthogonal polynomials associated with oscillating functions -- open problems (Q1339322)

Usually orthogonal polynomials are defined by \(\int P_n (x) P_m (x)d \mu (x) = r_n \delta_{n,m}\), where \(\mu\) is a positive measure on the real line and \(r_n > 0\) for \(n \geq 0\). The author uses a more general definition of orthogonality using forms, i.e., linear functionals \(u\) acting on polynomials. The first part of the paper gives a survey of the general results that are known for orthogonal polynomials under this more general definition, including the concept of regularity. Classical orthogonal polynomials are characterized as those for which the form \(u\) satisfies a differential equation \(D (\varphi u) + \psi u = 0\), where \(\varphi\) and \(\psi\) are polynomials of degree at most 2 and 1, respectively (giving the polynomials of Hermite, Laguerre, Jacobi, and Bessel). A semi-classical form \(u\) is then defined as a regular form satisfying \(D (\varphi u) + \psi u = 0\), with \(\varphi\) and \(\psi\) polynomials of degree \(t\) and \(p \geq 1\), respectively. The relationship with quasi-orthogonal polynomials is given and an attempt is made towards finding an integral representation for semi-classical forms. The open problems, alluded to in the title, are related to this integral representation. They are in terms of modified Hermite, modified Bessel, and modified Gegenbauer forms, where a modified form corresponds to an affine transformation \(P_n (x) \mapsto P_n (ax + b)\) of the original polynomials.