Hardy-Petrovitch-Hutchinson's problem and partial theta function

Abstract

In 1907 M.Petrovitch initiated the study of a class of entire functions all whose finite sections are real-rooted polynomials. An explicit description of this class in terms of the coefficients of a series is impossible since it is determined by an infinite number of discriminantal inequalities one for each degree. However, interesting necessary or sufficient conditions can be formulated. In particular, J.I.Hutchinson has shown that an entire function p(x)=a_0+a_1x+...+a_nx^n+... with strictly positive coefficients has the property that any its finite segment a_ix^i+...+a_jx^j has all real roots if and only if for all i=1,2,... one has a_i^2/a_{i-1}a_{i+1} is greater than or equal to 4. In the present paper we give sharp lower bounds on the ratios a_i^2/a_{i-1}a_{i+1} for the class considered by M.Petrovitch. In particular, we show that the limit of these minima when i tends to infinity equals the inverse of the maximal positive value of the parameter for which the classical partial theta function belongs to the Laguerre-Polya class.