The truncated moment problem on the union of parallel lines

TL;DR

This paper advances the understanding of the bivariate truncated moment problem on unions of parallel lines by providing new solutions for two and three lines and establishing a sufficient condition for the general case using linear matrix inequalities.

Contribution

It offers an alternative proof for two lines, introduces a new solvability condition for three lines, and proposes a sufficient condition for n lines based on linear matrix inequalities.

Findings

New proof of TMP on two parallel lines using THMP

Solvability condition for TMP on three parallel lines

Sufficient condition for TMP on n parallel lines via linear matrix inequalities

Abstract

In this article we study the bivariate truncated moment problem (TMP) of degree $2k$ on the union of parallel lines. First we present an alternative proof of Fialkow's solution \cite{Fia15} to the TMP on the union of two parallel lines (TMP--2pl) using the solution of the truncated Hamburger moment problem (THMP). We add a new equivalent solvability condition, which is then used together with the THMP, to solve the TMP on the union of three parallel lines (TMP--3pl), our second main result of the article. Finally, we establish a sufficient condition for the existence of a solution to the TMP on the union of $n$ parallel lines in the pure case, i.e.\ when the moment matrix $M_k$ is of the highest possible rank, or equivalently the only column relations come from the union of $n$ lines. The condition is based on the feasibility of a certain linear matrix inequality, corresponding to the extension of $M_k$ by adding rows and columns indexed by some monomials of degree $k+1$. The proof is by induction on $n$, where $n\geq 2$ and for the base of induction $n=2$ we use the solution of the TMP--2pl.