A class of symmetric qq-orthogonal polynomials with four free parameters

By using a generalization of Sturm-Liouville problems in $q$-difference spaces, a class of symmetric $q$-orthogonal polynomials with four free parameters is introduced. The standard properties of these polynomials, such as a second order $q$-difference equation, the explicit form of the polynomials in terms of basic hypergeometric series, a three term recurrence relation and a general orthogonality relation are presented. Some particular examples are then studied in detail.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1306.644

A basic class of symmetric orthogonal polynomials of a discrete variable

By using a generalization of Sturm-Liouville problems in discrete spaces, a basic class of symmetric orthogonal polynomials of a discrete variable with four free parameters, which generalizes all classical discrete symmetric orthogonal polynomials, is introduced. The standard properties of these polynomials, such as a second order difference equation, an explicit form for the polynomials, a three term recurrence relation and an orthogonality relation are presented. It is shown that two hypergeometric orthogonal sequences with 20 different weight functions can be extracted from this class. Moreover, moments corresponding to these weight functions can be explicitly computed. Finally, a particular example containing all classical discrete symmetric orthogonal polynomials is studied in detail

A symmetric generalization of Sturm-Liouville problems in qq-difference spaces

Classical Sturm-Liouville problems of $q$-difference variables are extended for symmetric discrete functions such that the corresponding solutions preserve the orthogonality property. Some illustrative examples are given in this sense.Comment: 11 page

Five dimensional gauge theories and vertex operators

We study supersymmetric gauge theories in five dimensions, using their relation to the K-theory of the moduli spaces of torsion free sheaves. In the spirit of the BPS/CFT correspondence the partition function and the expectation values of the chiral, BPS protected observables are given by the matrix elements and more generally by the correlation functions in some q-deformed conformal field theory in two dimensions. We show that the coupling of the gauge theory to the bi-fundamental matter hypermultiplet inserts a particular vertex operator in this theory. In this way we get a generalization of the main result of \cite{CO} to $K$-theory. The theory of interpolating Macdonald polynomials is an important tool in our construction.Comment: 33 page

On the generalization of McVittie's model for an inhomogeneity in a cosmological spacetime

McVittie's spacetime is a spherically symmetric solution to Einstein's equation with an energy-momentum tensor of a perfect fluid. It describes the external field of a single quasi-isolated object with vanishing electric charge and angular momentum in an environment that asymptotically tends to a Friedmann--Lemaitre--Robertson--Walker universe. We critically discuss some recently proposed generalizations of this solution, in which radial matter accretion as well as heat currents are allowed. We clarify the hitherto unexplained constraints between these two generalizing aspects as being due to a geometric property, here called spatial Ricci-isotropy, which forces solutions covered by the McVittie ansatz to be rather special. We also clarify other aspects of these solutions, like whether they include geometries which are in the same conformal equivalence class as the exterior Schwarzschild solution, which leads us to contradict some of the statements in the recent literature.Comment: LaTeX (RevTeX), 15 pages, no figur

Cosmological models (Carg\`{e}se lectures 1998)

The aim of this set of lectures is a systematic presentation of a 1+3 covariant approach to studying the geometry, dynamics, and observational properties of relativistic cosmological models. In giving (i) the basic 1+3 covariant relations for a cosmological fluid, the present lectures cover some of the same ground as a previous set of Carg\`{e}se lectures \cite{ell73}, but they then go on to give (ii) the full set of corresponding tetrad equations, (iii) a classification of cosmological models with exact symmetries, (iv) a brief discussion of some of the most useful exact models and their observational properties, and (v) an introduction to the gauge-invariant and 1+3 covariant perturbation theory of almost-Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker universes, with a fluid description for the matter and a kinetic theory description of the radiation.Comment: 87 pages. Fully hyperlinked. Published in proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Theoretical and Observational Cosmology, Carg\`{e}se, France, August 17-29, 1998 / edited by Marc Lachi\`{e}ze-Rey. Boston: Kluwer Academic, 1999. NATO science series. Series C, Mathematical and physical sciences, vol. 541, p.1-11

Do orthogonal polynomials dream of symmetric curves?

The complex or non-hermitian orthogonal polynomials with analytic weights are ubiquitous in several areas such as approximation theory, random matrix models, theoretical physics and in numerical analysis, to mention a few. Due to the freedom in the choice of the integration contour for such polynomials, the location of their zeros is a priori not clear. Nevertheless, numerical experiments, such as those presented in this paper, show that the zeros not simply cluster somewhere on the plane, but persistently choose to align on certain curves, and in a very regular fashion. The problem of the limit zero distribution for the non-hermitian orthogonal polynomials is one of the central aspects of their theory. Several important results in this direction have been obtained, especially in the last 30 years, and describing them is one of the goals of the first parts of this paper. However, the general theory is far from being complete, and many natural questions remain unanswered or have only a partial explanation. Thus, the second motivation of this paper is to discuss some "mysterious" configurations of zeros of polynomials, defined by an orthogonality condition with respect to a sum of exponential functions on the plane, that appeared as a results of our numerical experiments. In this apparently simple situation the zeros of these orthogonal polynomials may exhibit different behaviors: for some of them we state the rigorous results, while other are presented as conjectures (apparently, within a reach of modern techniques). Finally, there are cases for which it is not yet clear how to explain our numerical results, and where we cannot go beyond an empirical discussion.Comment: 36 pages, 11 figures. Based on a plenary talk of the first author at FoCM 2014 Conference. To appear in Foundations of Computational Mathematic

Theory of Band Warping and its Effects on Thermoelectronic Transport Properties

Optical and transport properties of materials depend heavily upon features of electronic band structures in proximity to energy extrema in the Brillouin zone (BZ). Such features are generally described in terms of multi-dimensional quadratic expansions and corresponding definitions of effective masses. Multi-dimensional expansions, however, are permissible only under strict conditions that are typically violated by degenerate bands and even some non-degenerate bands. Suggestive terms such as "band warping" or "corrugated energy surfaces" have been used to refer to such situations and ad hoc methods have been developed to treat them. While numerical calculations may reflect such features, a complete theory of band warping has not been developed. We develop a generally applicable theory, based on radial expansions, and a corresponding definition of angular effective mass. Our theory also accounts for effects of band non-parabolicity and anisotropy, which hitherto have not been precisely distinguished from, if not utterly confused with, band warping. Based on our theory, we develop precise procedures to evaluate band warping quantitatively. As a benchmark demonstration, we analyze the warping features of valence bands in silicon using first-principles calculations and we compare those with previous semi-empirical models. We use our theory and angular effective masses to generalize derivations of tensorial transport coefficients for cases of either single or multiple electronic bands, with either quadratically expansible or warped energy surfaces. From that theory we discover the formal existence at critical points of transport-equivalent ellipsoidal bands that yield identical results from the standpoint of any transport property. Additionally, we illustrate the drastic effects that band warping can induce on thermoelectric properties using multi-band models.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures. To appear in Physical Review

Exact Evolution of Discrete Relativistic Cosmological Models

We study the effects of inhomogeneities on the evolution of the Universe, by considering a range of cosmological models with discretized matter content. This is done using exact and fully relativistic methods that exploit the symmetries in and about submanifolds of spacetimes that themselves possess no continuous global symmetries. These methods allow us to follow the evolution of our models throughout their entire history, far beyond what has previously been possible. We find that while some space-like curves collapse to anisotropic singularities in finite time, others remain non-singular forever. The resulting picture is of a cosmological spacetime in which some behaviour remains close to Friedmann-like, while other behaviours deviate radically. In particular, we find that large-scale acceleration is possible without any violation of the energy conditions.Comment: 46 pages, 23 figure

Meixner matrix ensembles

We construct a family of matrix ensembles that fits Anshelevich's regression postulates for "Meixner laws on matrices". We show that the Laplace transform of a general n by n Meixner matrix ensemble satisfies a system of partial differential equations which is explicitly solvable for n=2. We rely on these solutions to identify the six types of 2 by 2 Meixner matrix ensembles