Approximations of orthogonal polynomials in terms of Hermite polynomials

Abstract

Several orthogonal polynomials have limit forms in which Hermite polynomials show up. Examples are limits with respect to certain parameters of the Jacobi and Laguerre polynomials. In this paper we are interested in more details of these limits and we give asymptotic representations of several orthogonal polynomials in terms of Hermite polynomials. In fact we give finite exact representations that have an asymptotic character. From these representations the well-known limits can be derived easily. Approximations of the zeros of the Gegenbauer polynomials $C_n^{gamma(x)$ and Laguerre polynomials $L_n^{alpha(x)$ are derived (for large values of $gamma$ and $alpha$, respectively) in terms of zeros of the Hermite polynomials and compared with numerical values. We also consider the Jacobi polynomials and the so-called Tricomi-Carlitz polynomials.