Laguerre and Meixner orthogonal bases in the algebra of symmetric functions (Q2909665)

The theory of symmetric functions deals with various homogeneous bases in the graded algebra of symmetric functions (Sym). The basis of Schur symmetric functions is a fundamental simple example. Hall-Littlewood, Jack and Macdonald symmetric functions form a one or two parameter deformation of the Schur functions. Each of these bases is an orthogonal basis with respect to an appropriate inner product in the graded algebra of symmetric functions.NEWLINENEWLINEIn this paper the author introduces two new families of orthogonal bases in the graded algebra of symmetric functions called Laguerre and Meixner symmetric functions which are related to the Laguerre and Meixner orthogonal polynomials. These are inhomogeneous elements of the graded algebra of symmetric functions. The construction is based on a simple trick: Take \(N\), the number of variables, as an independent parameter and then perform an analytic continuation into the complex domain with respect to this parameter. As result, the Laguerre symmetric functions depend on two parameters while the Laguerre polynomials involve a single parameter only, and the Meixner symmetric functions acquire three parameters instead of the conventional two parameters. Another feature of the construction is that the most natural realization of the Laguerre symmetric functions is achieved when the graded algebra of symmetric functions is realized as the algebra of super symmetric functions.