Linearization coefficients for Sheffer polynomial sets via lowering operators (Q884188)

The authors consider the following problem \[ \text{given a polynomial set }\{P_n\}_{n\geq 0} \text{ (deg}\,P_n=n,\;n\geq 0\text{)}, \] find the \textit{linearization coefficients} in \[ P_i(x)P_j(x)=\sum_{k=0}^{i+j}\,L_{ij}(k)P_k(x).\eqno{(1)} \] Their approach is based on so-called \textit{lowering operators} \(\sigma\) (acting on analytic functions) that reduce the degree of every polynomial by exactly one and \(\sigma(1)=0\). Specifically, they consider \textit{Sheffer polynomial sets} \(\{P_n\}_{n\geq 0}\) satisfying \[ A(t)\exp{(xC(t)}=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\,{P_n(x)\over n!}\,t^n,\eqno{(2)} \] where \(A,\,C\) are formal power series \[ A(t)=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\,a_kt^k,\;a_0\not= 0;\quad C(t)=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\,c_kt^{k+1},\;c_0\not= 0.\eqno{(3)} \] Moreover, a polynomial set is a \(\sigma\)-\textit{Appell polynomial set} if \(\sigma(P_n)=nP_{n-1}\;(n\geq 1)\), and the \textit{sequence of basic polynomials} for \(\sigma\) is a polynomial set \(\{B_n\}_{n\geq 0}\) satisfying \[ \{B_n\}_{n\geq 0}\text{ is a }\sigma-\text{Appell polynomial set},\;B_n(0)=\delta_{0,n}\;(n\geq 0). \] Now for any polynomial set \(\{P_n\}_{n\geq 0}\) there exists a unique lowering operator \(\sigma\) and a unique formal power series \(A(t)\) as in (3), such that the sequence is an Appell-polynomial set with basic polynomial set \(\{B_n\}_{n\geq 0}\) for \(\sigma\) satisfying \(A(\sigma)(B_n)=P_n\;(n\geq 0)\) [cf. Georgian Math. J. 9, No. 3, 413--422 (2002; Zbl 1008.41007)]. Using this special \(\sigma\) the main result is: \textbf{Theorem.} The coefficients from (1) for a Sheffer polynomial set with (2), are given by \[ L_{ij}(k)=\sum_{m\geq k}\,\sum_{p=0}^m\,{i\choose p} {j\choose m-p}\ell_{p,m-p}(k){\hat A}\left(C^{\ast}(D)\right) \left.\left(P_{i-p}(x)P_{j-m+p}(x)\right)\right| _{x=0}, \] where \(\ell_{mn}(k)\) are the standard linearization coefficients for the corresponding basic sequence, generated by \[ {1\over k!}\,{C^{\ast}}^k\left(C(t)+C(s)\right)= \sum_{n,m}\,{\ell_{nm}(k)\over n!m!}t^n s^m, \] where \({\hat A}=1/A(t),\;C^{\ast}\) is the inverse of \(C\) and \(D=d/dx\). The authors then give the \(\ell_{nm}\) explicitly for the basic polynomial sets for the Sterling polynomials (\(x^{[n]} = x(x-1)\cdots (x-n+1),\;n\geq 0\)), the Laguerre polynomials, the Meixner polynomials and the Meixner-Pollaczek polynomials. Furthermore, they treat the five classes of orthogonal Sheffer polynomials (Hermite, Charlier, Laguerre, Meixner and Meixner-Pollaczek) by giving explicitly \(\sigma,\;A(t)\) and \(L_{ij}(k)\).