A new realization of rational functions, with applications to linear combination interpolation

Abstract: We introduce the following linear combination interpolation problem (LCI): Given $N$ distinct numbers $w_1,\ldots w_N$ and $N+1$ complex numbers $a_1,\ldots, a_N$ and $c$, find all functions $f(z)$ analytic in a simply connected set (depending on $f$) containing the points $w_1,\ldots,w_N$ such that [ \sum_{u=1}^Na_uf(w_u)=c. ] To this end we prove a representation theorem for such functions $f$ in terms of an associated polynomial $p(z)$. We first introduce the following two operations, $(i)$ substitution of $p$, and $(ii)$ multiplication by monomials $z^j, 0\le j < N$. Then let $M$ be the module generated by these two operations, acting on functions analytic near $0$. We prove that every function $f$, analytic in a neighborhood of the roots of $p$, is in $M$. In fact, this representation of $f$ is unique. To solve the above interpolation problem, we employ an adapted systems theoretic realization, as well as an associated representation of the Cuntz relations (from multi-variable operator theory.) We study these operations in reproducing kernel Hilbert space): We give necessary and sufficient condition for existence of realizations of these representation of the Cuntz relations by operators in certain reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces, and offer infinite product factorizations of the corresponding kernels.