Asymptotic behavior and zero distribution of polynomials orthogonal with respect to Bessel functions

Abstract

We consider polynomials $P_n$ orthogonal with respect to the weight $J_{\nu}$ on $[0,\infty)$, where $J_{\nu}$ is the Bessel function of order $\nu$. Asheim and Huybrechs considered these polynomials in connection with complex Gaussian quadrature for oscillatory integrals. They observed that the zeros are complex and accumulate as $n \to \infty$ near the vertical line $\textrm{Re}\, z = \frac{\nu \pi}{2}$. We prove this fact for the case $0 \leq \nu \leq 1/2$ from strong asymptotic formulas that we derive for the polynomials $P_n$ in the complex plane. Our main tool is the Riemann-Hilbert problem for orthogonal polynomials, suitably modified to cover the present situation, and the Deift-Zhou steepest descent method. A major part of the work is devoted to the construction of a local parametrix at the origin, for which we give an existence proof that only works for $\nu \leq 1/2$.