A difference operator of infinite order with Sobolev-type Charlier polynomials as eigenfunctions (Q2365497)

The author studies polynomials orthogonal with respect to a Sobolev-Charlier inner product involving differences: \[ \langle f,g\rangle= \sum^\infty_{x=0} f(x)g(x) \frac{e^{-x}a^x}{x!}+ \lambda f (0)g(0)+ \mu\Delta f(0)g(0), \] where \(a> 0\), \(\lambda> 0\), \(\Delta h(x)= h(x+1)- h(x)\). Using explicit formulae derived before (\textit{H. Bavinck} and \textit{R. Koekoek}, J. Approximation Theory 81, No. 2, 195-206 (1995; reviewed above)) it is shown that the orthogonal polynomials satisfy for \(\lambda=0\), \(\mu> 0\) a difference equation with eigenvalues \(\lambda_n\) that can be seen as a perturbation of the classical Charlier case \((\lambda =\mu = 0\)). The main problem now is (in contradiction to the case \(\lambda> 0\), \(\mu= 0\)) that the difference equation and eigenvalues are no longer uniquely determined; the author shows that giving the eigenvalue \(\lambda_1\) explicitly, the problem does have a unique solution. Moreover it is shown that the difference operator is of infinite order with polynomial coefficients: \[ L(\Delta;\mu)=\frac{\mu}{a}\sum^\infty_{i=1} b_i(x)\Delta^i+x\Delta\nabla +(a-x)\Delta,\quad \lambda_n=-\biggl(n+\frac{\mu}{a} b_0(n,a)\biggr). \] [here \(\nabla h(x)=h(x)-h(x-1)]\).