\(N\)-point Padé approximants to real-valued Stieltjes series with nonzero radii of convergence (Q2564269)

This paper considers Stieltjes functions of the form \(f(z)= z\int_0^{1/R} (1+ zu)^{-1} d \gamma (u)\) with \(\gamma\) real, bounded and nondecreasing. For \(R>0\), its series expansions at 0 and \(\infty\) have a positive radius of convergence. A two-point Padé approximant \([M/M]_k\) for \(f(z)\) is a rational function of typy \((M,M)\), zero at the origin and which matches \(k\) initial terms of the expansion of \(f(z)\) at \(\infty\) and the first \(2M-k\) terms of its expansion at the origin. For example, \([M/M]_0\) represents an ordinary diagonal Padé approximant. When only \(k-1\) interpolation conditions are imposed at the origin and an extra condition requires that the limit of the approximant for \(x \to R^+\) is \(-\infty\), then we have interpolation at 3 points and the approximant is called a 3-point Padé approximant. Using the positivity in the terms of the continued fraction expansions of the approximants, the authors prove the monotone and uniform convergence of certain sequences of approximants to the Stieltjes function on compact subsets of \((0, \infty)\) and \((-R,0)\). This is done for 2- and 3-point approximants of the form \([M/M]_k\) and \([M/M]_{2M-p} (p=k\) or \(k-1)\) where \(k\) is fixed and \(M\to \infty\). This generalizes well known results for ordinary Padé approximants and results for balanced \((k=M)\) two-point Padé approximants. See \textit{P. González-Vera} and \textit{O. Njåstad} [J. Comput. Appl. Math. 32, No. 1/2, 97-105 (1990; Zbl 0721.30026)], and previous work of the author: [\textit{S. Tokarzewski}, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 67, No. 1, 59-72 (1996)], [the author, \textit{J. Bławzdziewicz}, Numerical Algorithms 8, No. 2-4, 313-328 (1994; Zbl 0814.41015)]. Similar results for general sequences of 2-point Padé approximants are considered in the reviewer, \textit{P. González-Vera} and \textit{R. Orive} [J. Comput. Appl. Math. 65, No. 1-3, 57-72 (1995; Zbl 0847.41015)]. The present paper gives also general inequalities for approximants of the form \([M_n/M_n]_{k (M_n)}\) where \(2(M_{n+1}- M_n) \geq k(M_{n+1} +1)- k(M_n)\) are given. A numerical example applied to the theory of inhomogeneous media for estimating the effective conductivity of materials is included.