Higher Schwarzian operators and combinatorics of the Schwarzian derivative (Q1906881)

A family of Möbius invariant nonlinear differential operators (higher Schwarzian operators) is constructed in the context of the best Möbius approximations of analytic functions in one complex variable. Viewing the Schwarzian equation purely algebraically, we obtain a sequence of polynomials (Schwarzian polynomials) with positive integral coefficients expressing the higher Schwarzian operators in terms of derivatives of the classical Schwarzian derivative, and vice versa. These Schwarzian polynomials can be expressed in terms of the partial Bell polynomials. Integrality, positivity, and negativity property of the Taylor coefficients of solutions to the Schwarzian equation is shown. The higher Schwarzian operators allow us to prove that any Möbius invariant differential operators can be derived from the classical Schwarzian derivative. In the appendix, we give examples of Schwarzian polynomials.