Bivariate second--order linear partial differential equations and orthogonal polynomial solutions

In this paper we construct the main algebraic and differential properties and the weight functions of orthogonal polynomial solutions of bivariate second--order linear partial differential equations, which are admissible potentially self--adjoint and of hypergeometric type. General formulae for all these properties are obtained explicitly in terms of the polynomial coefficients of the partial differential equation, using vector matrix notation. Moreover, Rodrigues representations for the polynomial eigensolutions and for their partial derivatives of any order are given. Finally, as illustration, these results are applied to specific Appell and Koornwinder orthogonal polynomials, solutions of the same partial differential equation.Comment: 27 page

Families of quasi-exactly solvable extensions of the quantum oscillator in curved spaces

We introduce two new families of quasi-exactly solvable (QES) extensions of the oscillator in a $d$-dimensional constant-curvature space. For the first three members of each family, we obtain closed-form expressions of the energies and wavefunctions for some allowed values of the potential parameters using the Bethe ansatz method. We prove that the first member of each family has a hidden sl(2,$\mathbb{R}$) symmetry and is connected with a QES equation of the first or second type, respectively. One-dimensional results are also derived from the $d$-dimensional ones with $d \ge 2$, thereby getting QES extensions of the Mathews-Lakshmanan nonlinear oscillator.Comment: 30 pages, 8 figures, published versio

A model for Hopfions on the space-time S^3 x R

We construct static and time dependent exact soliton solutions for a theory of scalar fields taking values on a wide class of two dimensional target spaces, and defined on the four dimensional space-time S^3 x R. The construction is based on an ansatz built out of special coordinates on S^3. The requirement for finite energy introduces boundary conditions that determine an infinite discrete spectrum of frequencies for the oscillating solutions. For the case where the target space is the sphere S^2, we obtain static soliton solutions with non-trivial Hopf topological charges. In addition, such hopfions can oscillate in time, preserving their topological Hopf charge, with any of the frequencies belonging to that infinite discrete spectrum.Comment: Enlarged version with the time-dependent solutions explicitly given. One reference and two eps figures added. 14 pages, late

PT-Invariant Periodic Potentials with a Finite Number of Band Gaps

We obtain the band edge eigenstates and the mid-band states for the complex, PT-invariant generalized associated Lam\'e potentials V^{PT}(x)=-a(a+1)m \sn^2(y,m)-b(b+1)m {\sn^2 (y+K(m),m)} -f(f+1)m {\sn^2 (y+K(m)+iK'(m),m)}-g(g+1)m {\sn^2 (y+iK'(m),m)}, where $y \equiv ix+\beta$, and there are four parameters $a,b,f,g$. This work is a substantial generalization of previous work with the associated Lam\'e potentials V(x)=a(a+1)m\sn^2(x,m)+b(b+1)m{\sn^2 (x+K(m),m)} and their corresponding PT-invariant counterparts $V^{PT}(x)=-V(ix+\beta)$, both of which involving just two parameters $a,b$. We show that for many integer values of $a,b,f,g$, the PT-invariant potentials $V^{PT}(x)$ are periodic problems with a finite number of band gaps. Further, usingsupersymmetry, we construct several additional, new, complex, PT-invariant, periodic potentials with a finite number of band gaps. We also point out the intimate connection between the above generalized associated Lam\'e potential problem and Heun's differential equation.Comment: 30 pages, 0 figure

Fourth-order differential equations satisfied by the generalized co-recursive of all classical orthogonal polynomials. A study of their distribution of zeros

AbstractThe unique fourth-order differential equation satisfied by the generalized co-recursive of all classical orthogonal polynomials is given for any (but fixed) level of recursivity. Up to now, these differential equations were known only for each classical family separately and also for a specific recursivity level. Moreover, we use this unique fourth-order differential equation in order to study the distribution of zeros of these polynomials via their Newton sum rules (i.e., the sums of powers of their zeros) which are closely related with the moments of such distribution. Both results are obtained with the help of two programs built in Mathematica symbolic language

Quasinormal frequencies and thermodynamic quantities for the Lifshitz black holes

We find the connection between thermodynamic quantities and quasinormal frequencies in Lifshitz black holes. It is shown that the globally stable Lifshitz black holes have pure imaginary quasinormal frequencies. We also show that by employing the Maggiore's method, both the horizon area and the entropy can be quantized for these black holes.Comment: 21 pages, no figures, version to appear in PR

Heun equation, Teukolsky equation, and type-D metrics

Starting with the whole class of type-D vacuum backgrounds with cosmological constant we show that the separated Teukolsky equation for zero rest-mass fields with spin $s=\pm 2$ (gravitational waves), $s=\pm 1$ (electromagnetic waves) and $s=\pm 1/2$ (neutrinos) is an Heun equation in disguise.Comment: 27 pages, corrected typo in eq. (1

Solution of the Dirac equation in the rotating Bertotti-Robinson spacetime

The Dirac equation is solved in the rotating Bertotti-Robinson spacetime. The set of equations representing the Dirac equation in the Newman-Penrose formalism is decoupled into an axial and angular part. The axial equation, which is independent of mass, is solved exactly in terms of hypergeometric functions. The angular equation is considered both for massless (neutrino) and massive spin-(1/2) particles. For the neutrinos, it is shown that the angular equation admits an exact solution in terms of the confluent Heun equation. In the existence of mass, the angular equation does not allow an analytical solution, however, it is expressible as a set of first order differential equations apt for numerical study.Comment: 17 pages, no figure. Appeared in JMP (May, 2008

Complex Periodic Potentials with a Finite Number of Band Gaps

We obtain several new results for the complex generalized associated Lame potential V(x)= a(a+1)m sn^2(y,m)+ b(b+1)m sn^2(y+K(m),m) + f(f+1)m sn^2(y+K(m)+iK'(m),m)+ g(g+1)m sn^2(y+iK'(m),m), where y = x-K(m)/2-iK'(m)/2, sn(y,m) is a Jacobi elliptic function with modulus parameter m, and there are four real parameters a,b,f,g. First, we derive two new duality relations which, when coupled with a previously obtained duality relation, permit us to relate the band edge eigenstates of the 24 potentials obtained by permutations of the four parameters a,b,f,g. Second, we pose and answer the question: how many independent potentials are there with a finite number "a" of band gaps when a,b,f,g are integers? For these potentials, we clarify the nature of the band edge eigenfunctions. We also obtain several analytic results when at least one of the four parameters is a half-integer. As a by-product, we also obtain new solutions of Heun's differential equation.Comment: 33 pages, 0 figure

Minimal recurrence relations for connection coefficients between classical orthogonal polynomials: Discrete case

AbstractWe present a simple approach in order to compute recursively the connection coefficients between two families of classical (discrete) orthogonal polynomials (Charlier, Meixner, Kravchuk, Hahn), i.e., the coefficients Cm(n) in the expression Pn(X)=∑nm=0Cm(n)Qm(x), where Pn(x) and Qm(x) belong to the aforementioned class of polynomials. This is SCV2 done by adapting a general and systematic algorithm, recently developed by the authors, to the discrete classical situation. Moreover, extensions of this method allow to give new addition formulae and to estimate Cm(n)-asymptotics in limit relations between some families