Differential operators of infinite order and the distribution of zeros of entire functions (Q1340525)

A real entire function \(f(x)\) is said to be in the Laguerre-Pólya class (written \(f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}\)) if it is a uniform limit, on compact subsets of the complex plane, of polynomials with only real zeros. A function \(f\) is said to be in \({\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}^*\) if it is a product of a function in \({\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}\) and a real polynomial. Thus functions in \({\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}^*\) may have a finite number of nonreal zeros. Let \(D= d/dx\) denote the differentiation operator. Inspired by the recent proof of the Pólya-Wiman conjecture which asserts that if \(f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}^*\), then \(D^ n f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}\) for all sufficiently large \(n\), the present paper considers the operator \(\phi(D)\), where \(\phi(x)= \sum_{k= 0}^ \infty a_ k x^ k\) is a formal power series and \(\phi(D) f(x)= \sum a_ k f^{(k)}(x)\) whenever this sum represents an analytic function in a neighborhood of the origin. It is shown that if \(a_ 1= 0\) and \(a_ 0 a_ 2< 0\), then, for any real polynomial \(f\), the function \([\phi(D)]^ n f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)- \({\mathcal P}\) for all sufficiently large \(n\). If \(a_ 1\neq 0\), more restrictive hypotheses are needed. It is shown that if \(\phi(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}\) with at least one real zero and \(f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}^*\) (with suitable growth conditions so that the resulting series converges), then \([\phi(D)]^ n f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}\) for all sufficiently large \(n\). A separate analysis is carried out for the operator \(e^{-aD^ 2}\), \(a> 0\), showing that the zeros become simple as well as real. Further results are obtained on simplicity of zeros of \(\phi(D) f(x)\), where \(f(x)\in {\mathcal L}\)-\({\mathcal P}\).