Generalized Schur–Nevanlinna functions and their realizations

Pontryagin space operator valued generalized Schur functions and generalized Nevanlinna functions are investigated by using discrete-time systems, or operator colligations, and state space realizations. It is shown that generalized Schur functions have strong radial limit values almost everywhere on the unit circle. These limit values are contractive with respect to the indefinite inner product, which allows one to generalize the notion of an inner function to Pontryagin space operator valued setting. Transfer functions of self-adjoint systems such that their state spaces are Pontryagin spaces, are generalized Nevanlinna functions, and symmetric generalized Schur functions can be realized as transfer functions of self-adjoint systems with Kreĭn spaces as state spaces. A criterion when a symmetric generalized Schur function is also a generalized Nevanlinna function is given. The criterion involves the negative index of the weak similarity mapping between an optimal minimal realization and its dual. In the special case corresponding to the generalization of an inner function, a concrete model for the weak similarity mapping can be obtained by using the canonical realizations.