An extension of Suffridge's convolution theorem (Q961094)

The author gives the following definitions: (i) For \(\lambda\in[0,\frac{2\pi}{n}]\), let \(\mathcal{P}_n(\lambda)\) denote the set of polynomials \(P\) of degree \(n\) that have all their zeros on the unit circle and such that each pair of zeros is separated by an angle of at least \(\lambda\). (ii) For \(\lambda\in[0,\frac{2\pi}{n}]\), set \[ Q_n(\lambda;z) := \sum_{k=0}^n {n\choose k}_\lambda z^k := \prod_{j=1}^n\Big(1+ze^{i(2j-n-1)\lambda/2}\Big). \] (iii) For a polynomial \(P\) of degree \(n\), set \[ \Delta_\lambda [P] (z) := \frac{P(ze^{i\lambda/2}) - P(ze^{-i\lambda/2})}{2iz\sin (n\lambda/2)} \] if \(\lambda\in(0,\frac{2\pi}{n})\), and \(\Delta_0[P](z) := P'(z)/n\). (iv) If \(\lambda\in[0,\frac{2\pi}{n})\) and if \(P(z)=\sum_{k=0}^n {n\choose k}_\lambda a_k z^k\) and \(Q(z)=\sum_{k=0}^n {n\choose k}_\lambda b_k z^k\) are two polynomials of degree \(n\), define \[ (P*_\lambda Q) (z) := \sum_{k=0}^n {n\choose k}_\lambda a_k b_k z^k, \] and call \(P *_\lambda Q\) the \(\lambda\)--convolution of \(P\) and \(Q\). The theorem of Grace is the most important convolution result concerning complex polynomials. It can be stated in the following form: If \(P\) and \(Q\) are of degree \(n\) and have all their zeros in the closed unit disk, then also the zeros of \(P*_0 Q\) lie in the closed unit disk. This implies in particular that if \(P\), \(Q\in\mathcal{P}_n(0)\), then \(P*_0 Q\in \mathcal{P}_n(0)\). \textit{T. J. Suffridge} [Adv. Compl. Funct. Theory, Proc. Semin. Maryland Univ. 1973/74, Lect. Notes Math. 505, 164--203 (1976; Zbl 0324.30018)] showed the following surprising extension of this result: If \(\lambda\in[0,\frac{2\pi}{n}]\) and \(P\) and \(Q\) belong to \(\mathcal{P}_n(\lambda)\), then so does \(P*_\lambda Q\). Because of the theorem of Gauß-Lucas it is immediately clear that another special case of Grace's theorem reads as follows: If \(P\in\mathcal{P}_n(0)\) and \(Q\in\mathcal{P}_{n-1}(0)\), then all zeros of \(\Delta_0[P]*_0Q\) lie in the closed unit disk. In the paper under review, the author proves that this statement remains true for \(\lambda\in (0,\frac{2\pi}{n})\), i.e., he shows that if \(P\in\mathcal{P}_n(\lambda)\) and \(Q\in\mathcal{P}_{n-1}(\lambda)\), then all zeros of \(\Delta_\lambda[P]*_\lambda Q\) lie in the closed unit disk. The proof of this result leads to the question whether there is a `\(\lambda\)-extension' of a theorem of Laguerre concerning the zeros of the polar derivative of a given polynomial. The author provides a counterexample that shows that such an extension does not exist. The counterexample constructed is then also used to give a negative answer to a long-standing open question of Suffridge in the above cited work, concerning an analogue of the Gauß-Lucas theorem.