On the representability of sequences as constant terms

Abstract

A constant term sequence is a sequence of rational numbers whose $n$-th term is the constant term of $P^n(\mathbf{x})Q(\mathbf{x})$, where $P(\mathbf{x})$ and $Q(\mathbf{x})$ are multivariate Laurent polynomials. While the generating functions of such sequences are invariably diagonals of multivariate rational functions, and hence special period functions, it is a famous open question, raised by Don Zagier, to classify diagonals that are constant terms. In this paper, we provide such a classification in the case of sequences satisfying linear recurrences with constant coefficients. We also consider the case of hypergeometric sequences and, for a simple illustrative family of hypergeometric sequences, classify those that are constant terms.