Abstract
We develop a theory of “special functions” associated with a certain fourth-order differential operator \(\mathcal{D}_{\mu,\nu}\) on ℝ depending on two parameters μ,ν. For integers μ,ν≥−1 with μ+ν∈2ℕ0, this operator extends to a self-adjoint operator on L 2(ℝ+,x μ+ν+1 dx) with discrete spectrum. We find a closed formula for the generating functions of the eigenfunctions, from which we derive basic properties of the eigenfunctions such as orthogonality, completeness, L 2-norms, integral representations, and various recurrence relations.
This fourth-order differential operator \(\mathcal{D}_{\mu,\nu}\) arises as the radial part of the Casimir action in the Schrödinger model of the minimal representation of the group O(p,q), and our “special functions” give K-finite vectors.
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T. Kobayashi was partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (18340037, 22340026), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Alexander Humboldt Foundation.
J. Möllers was partially supported by the International Research Training Group 1133 “Geometry and Analysis of Symmetries” and the GCOE program of the University of Tokyo.
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Hilgert, J., Kobayashi, T., Mano, G. et al. Special functions associated with a certain fourth-order differential equation. Ramanujan J 26, 1–34 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11139-011-9315-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11139-011-9315-0
Keywords
- Fourth-order differential equations
- Generating functions
- Bessel functions
- Orthogonal polynomials
- Laguerre polynomials
- Recurrence relations
- Meijer’s G-function
- Minimal representation
- Indefinite orthogonal group