Orthogonal Polynomials with Recursion Coefficients of Generalized Bounded Variation

Abstract

We consider probability measures on the real line or unit circle with Jacobi or Verblunsky coefficients satisfying an $\ell^p$ condition and a generalized bounded variation condition. This latter condition requires that a sequence can be expressed as a sum of sequences $\beta^{(l)}$, each of which has rotated bounded variation, i.e., $\sum_{n=0}^\infty | e^{i\phi_l} \beta_{n+1}^{(l)} - \beta_n^{(l)} |$ is finite for some $\phi_l$. This includes discrete Schr\"odinger operators on a half-line or line with finite linear combinations of Wigner--von Neumann type potentials. For the real line, we prove that in the Lebesgue decomposition $d\mu=f dm + d\mu_s$ of such measures, the intersection of (-2,2) with the support of $d\mu_s$ is contained in an explicit finite set S (thus, $d\mu$ has no singular continuous part), and f is continuous and non-vanishing on $(-2,2) \setminus S$. The results for the unit circle are analogous, with (-2,2) replaced by the unit circle.