Critical points of random polynomials with independent identically distributed roots

Abstract

Let $X_1,X_2,...$ be independent identically distributed random variables with values in $\C$. Denote by $\mu$ the probability distribution of $X_1$. Consider a random polynomial $P_n(z)=(z-X_1)...(z-X_n)$. We prove a conjecture of Pemantle and Rivin [arXiv:1109.5975] that the empirical measure $\mu_n:=\frac 1{n-1}\sum_{P_n'(z)=0} \delta_z$ counting the complex zeros of the derivative $P_n'$ converges in probability to $\mu$, as $n\to\infty$.