Near-circularity of the error curve in Chebyshev approximation of solutions to a class of elliptic partial differential equations in the complex plane (Q1802178)

Let \(\Phi\) be an analytic solution of the Helmholtz equation \([\nabla^ 2 + F(r^ 2)] \Phi (r,\theta) = 0\) on the open unit disk \(\Delta\) that is continuous on the closure \(\overline {\Delta}\). Let the function \(F(r^ 2)\) be analytic and nonpositive on \(\overline {\Delta}\). And, let \(\Phi^*_ n\) be an approximation of \(\Phi\) relative to an appropriate subspace of solutions whose restrictions to \(\partial \Delta\) are polynomials of degree at most \(n\). The error curve arises as the image of \(\partial \Delta\) under the map \(\Phi - \Phi^*_ n\). Geometric properties of the curve relating to the modulus and winding number characterize the best and near-best approximations. Among them are those when \(\Phi^*_ n\) is the Chebyshev approximation, the curve is a near- perfect circle with winding number \(n + 1\). These attributes develop function-theoretically and lead to a constructive procedure for determining near-optimal approximations of \(\Phi\) that are as close to best as the error curve is close to circular. Numerical examples are presented that are at least as accurate as the corresponding approximations of \(e^ z\) on \(\overline {\Delta}\) which arise in analytic function theory.