Riemann-Hilbert analysis for Laguerre polynomials with large negative parameter. (Q1848426)

Laguerre polynomials \(L_n^{(\alpha )}\) with non-standard values of the parameter (\(\alpha \leq -1\)) satisfy a non-hermitian orthogonality on contours of the complex plane. This allows to express them in terms of the solution of certain Riemann-Hilbert (boundary values) problem for an analytic \(2 \times 2\) matrix. Then, choosing properly the contour of orthogonality the authors perform the steepest descent analysis due to \textit{P. A. Deift} and \textit{X. Zhou} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 137, 295--368 (1993; Zbl 0771.35042)], obtaining strong asymptotics of \(L_n^{ (\alpha_n)}\) as \(n \to \infty\), under assumption that \(\alpha_n/n \to A<-1\). The asymptotics is uniform on the whole complex plane. As a byproduct, a precise description of the asymptotic behavior of the (complex) zeros of \(L_n^{(\alpha_n)}\) is obtained. The paper is carefully written and illustrated, and can be recommended to those interested in the Riemann-Hilbert techniques.