Nonlinear recurrences related to Chebyshev polynomials (Q2520570)

The authors first define by the recurrence relation \(V_0(x)=1, V_1(x)=x, V_{n+1}(x)=2xV_n(x)-V_{n-1}(x)-x^{n+1}\; \text{for } n\in\mathbb{N}\), the polynomial sequence \(\{V_n(x)\}\) somewhat resembling the sequence of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind. Next they study the power series coefficients of the \(V_n(x)\), give another explicit expression for these polynomials, and are led to the generating function of \(\{V_n(x)\}\). These informations are then used to obtain results on the zero distribution of the \(V_n(x)\), and on the irreducibility of some of these. For example, \(\frac{1}{x}V_p(x)\) is irreducible over \(\mathbb{Q}\) for all odd primes \(p\). In the second part of the paper, the \(2\times2\) Hankel determinants of the \(V_n(x)\), that is \(W_n(x):=V_{n+1}(x)^2-V_n(x)V_{n+2}(x) \; \text{for } n\in\mathbb{N}_0\), are investigated. These polynomials have interesting zero distributions. Furthermore, if these are split into two halves, then the zeros of one half lie in the real interval \(]-1,1[\), whereas those of the other half lie on the unit circle. Some generalizations conclude the paper.