Padé approximants for functions with branch points -- strong asymptotics of Nuttall-Stahl polynomials (Q265873)

This paper describes the asymptotics of diagonal Padé approxiamants of algebraic functions of a special type. The underlying function \(f\) is holomorphic at infinity and extends analytically (in a multivalued way) along any path in the extended complex plane that omits a finite number of points \(A=\{a_k\}\) (at least two), subject to two general restrictions. \textbf{1.} The character of the branch points is assumed to be \textit{algebro-logarithmic}, i.e., in a small neighborhood of the \(a_k\) the function has a representation \[ f(z)=h_1(z)\psi(z)+h_2(z),\;\psi(z)=\begin{cases} (z-a_k)^{\alpha(a_k)}\\ \log{(z-a_k)}\end{cases}, \] where \(-1<\alpha(a_k)<0\) and \(h_1,h_2\) are holomorphic around \(a_k\). \textbf{2.} The \textit{extremal domain} \(d^{\ast}\) for \(f\) in the sense of \textit{H. Stahl} [Complex Variables, Theory Appl. 4, 311--324 (1985; Zbl 0542.30027), ibid. 4, 339--354 (1985; Zbl 0542.30029)] satisfies \[ \mathbb{C}\setminus D^{\ast}=E\cup \bigcup_{k}\Delta_k, \] where \(\bigcup_k \Delta_k\) is a finite union of open analytic Jordan arcs and \(E\) is a finite set of points such that each element of \(E\) is an endpoint for at least one arc \(\Delta_k\). The condition referred to as GP (\textit{generic position}) is now (i)\ \ each point in \(E\cup A\) is incident with exactly one arc from \(\bigcup_{k}\Delta_k\), (ii) each point in \(E\setminus A\) ia incident with exactly three points in \(\bigcup_{k}\Delta_k\). The main result is then stated in Theorem 2.11; explicitly reproducing this theorem is outside the scope of a review: it would take several pages to formulate the concepts needed. For the initiated: the work is an extension of the proof of \textit{J. Nuttall}'s conjecture (in [in: Pade and ration. Approx., Theory and Appl., Proc. int. Symp. Tampa/Florida 1976, 101--109 (1977; Zbl 0368.41012)]) on convergence in logarithmic capacity away from the cuts characterized by minimal logarithmic capacity. The layout of the paper is as follows: \S1 Introduction (6 pages) \S2 Main results (12 pages) \S3 Extremal domains (9 pages) \S4 Riemann surface (5 pages) \S5 Boundary problems on \(L\) (5 pages) \S6 Szegő functions (5 pages) \S7 Riemann-Hilbert problem (6 pages) \S8 Asymptotic analysis (14 pages) References (3 pages; 58 items)