Small Oscillations, Sturm Sequences, and Orthogonal Polynomials

Abstract

Abstract The relation between small oscillations of one-dimensional mechanical n-particle systems and the theory of orthogonal polynomials is investigated. It is shown how the polynomials provide a natural tool to determine the eigenfrequencies and eigencoordinates completely, where the existence of a specific two-termed recurrence formula is essential. Physical and mathematical statements are formulated in terms of the recurrence coefficients which can directly be obtained from the corresponding secular equation. Several results on Sturm sequences and orthogonal polynomials are presented with respect to the treatment of small oscillations. The relation to the numerical treatment of the generalized eigenvalue problem is discussed and further applications to physical problems from quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and spin systems are briefly outlined.