Orthogonal polynomials and expansions for a family of weight functions in two variables (Q714939)

A class of polynomials that are orthogonal to weight functions is studied; they are of the form \[ \mathcal{W}_{\alpha,\beta,\gamma}(x,y) = |x+y|^{2\alpha+1}|x-y|^{2\beta+1}(1-x^2)^\gamma(1-y^2)^\gamma. \] For a fixed weight \(w(x)\geq 0\) on \([-1,1]\), define \(W_\gamma(u,v)=2a_w^\gamma w(x) w(y) (u^2-4v)^\gamma\), where \(u=x+y\), \(v=xy\) on the domain \(\Omega=\{(u,v): 1+u+v>0, 1-u+v>0, u^2>4v\}\). Here, \(a_w^\gamma\) is a normalization constant. Define \(w^{(i,j)}(x)=(1-x)^i(1+x)^j w(x)\), and define \[ W_\gamma^{(i,j)}(u,v)=2a_{w^{(i,j)}} (1-u+v)^i (1+u+v)^j W_\gamma (u,v), \] where again, \(a_{w^{(i,j)}}\) are normalization constants. The polynomials \[ P_{k,n}^{(\gamma)}(u,v)=u^{n-k} v^k+\sum_{(j,m)\prec(k,n)} a_{j,m} u^{m-j}v^j \] (where \((j,m)\prec(k,n)\) means \(m<n\) or both \(m=n\) and \(j\leq k\)) with coefficients that satisfy the orthogonality condition \[ \int_\Omega P_{k,n}^{(\gamma)} (u,v) u^{m-j} v^j W_\gamma (u,v)\, du\, dv=0 \] and are uniquely determined by the Gram-Schmidt method. Define \(P_{k,n}^{(\gamma),i,j}\) (\(0\leq k\leq n\)) to be the polynomials of degree \(n\) orthogonal with respect to the inner product on \(L^2_{W_\gamma^{(i,j)}}\). Set \(b_\gamma^{(i,j)}=\sqrt{a_{w^{(i,j)}}^\gamma/a_w^\gamma}\). Finally, define \(\mathcal{V}_n(\mathcal{W})\) to be the subspace of orthogonal polynomials of degree \(n\) with respect to the weight \(\mathcal{W}\). A principal result is that for, \(n=0,1,\dots\), an orthonormal basis for \(\mathcal{V}_{2n}(\mathcal{W}_\gamma)\) is given by \[ \begin{align*}{ {}_1Q_{k,2n}^{(\gamma)}(x,y)&=P_{k,n}^{(\gamma)}(2xy,x^2+y^2-1),\quad 0\leq k\leq n, \cr {}_2Q_{k,2n}^{(\gamma)}(x,y)& =b_\gamma^{(1,1)} (x^2-y^2) P_{k,n-1}^{(\gamma),1,1}(2xy,x^2+y^2-1),\quad 0\leq k\leq n-1,}\end{align*} \] with corresponding formulas for an orthogonal basis for \(\mathcal{V}_{2n+1}(\mathcal{W}_\gamma)\) involving appropriate \(b_\gamma^{(i,j)}\) and \(P_{k,n}^{(\gamma),i,j}\) (\(i,j\in\{0,1\}\)). The result is extended explicitly to the class of weights \(\mathcal{W}_{\alpha,\beta,\gamma}\) which amounts to specific choices of the starting weight \(w\). Then, for certain specific values of the parameters \(\alpha\), \(\beta\), \(\gamma\), the polynomials are identified with explicit formulas in terms of Jacobi polynomials or other special polynomials. Fourier expansions for some of these weighted \(L^2\) spaces are then studied.