Multiplier sequences, classes of generalized Bessel functions and open problems (Q499216)

Definition. A sequence of real numbers \(\{\gamma_k\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) is called a multiplier sequence if, for every real polynomial \(\sum_{k=0}^{n} a_k x^k\) with only real zeros, the polynomial \(\sum_{k=0}^{n} \gamma_k a_k x^k\) has only real zeros as well. The paper deals with multiplier sequences interpolated by functions which are not entire. That's why explorations in this paper differ from the traditional approach. Though the authors believe that the sequence \(\{\ln(k+2)/k!\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) is a multiplier, they could not prove this fact. However, they establish that both sequences \[ \left \{ \left(\ln(k+2) +\int_{k+2}^{\infty} \{t\}/t^2dt\right)\bigg/ k!\right\}_{k=0}^{\infty} \] and \(\displaystyle\{(H_{k+2}-\gamma)/k!\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) are multiplier (here \(H_n=\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{1}{k}\) is the \(n\)th harmonic number, and \(\gamma\) is the Euler-Mascheroni constant). The authors consider the sums \(S(k)=\sum_{j=0}^k\gamma_j\) and the average sequences \(A(k)=S(k)/(k+1)\), \(k\in \mathbb{N}\). For the sequences of the form \(\gamma_k=\sum_{j=0}^{m}a_jk^j\), \(a_j \geq 0\), they prove that, if \(\{A(k)\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) is a multiplier sequence, then the sequences \(\{\gamma_k\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) and \(\{S(k)\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) are multiplier as well. It is shown in the paper that the converse of the statement is false in general. By adopting some of the ideas of Hardy and Ostrovskii, the authors obtain several integral representations of the entire function \(f(x)=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{\sqrt k}{k!k!}x^k.\) The authors also formulate the following general problem and investigate several of its partial cases. { Problem.} Let \(\{\alpha_k\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) and \(\{\beta_k\}_{k=0}^{\infty}\) be multiplier sequences of non-negative numbers. Characterize all functions \(\Psi: \mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}\) such that \(\{\Psi(\alpha_k, \beta_k)\}_{k=0}^{\infty} \) is again a multiplier sequence. The exploration and analysis, augmented throughout the paper by a plethora of examples, lead to a number of conjectures and intriguing open problems.