Absolute values and real parts for functions in the Smirnov class (Q1433182): Difference between revisions

The Nevanlinna class \(N\) consists of all functions \(f\) holomorphic in the unit disc \(\mathbb D\) for which \(\sup_{0\leq r<1}\int^{2\pi}_0\log^+| f(re^{i\theta})| d\theta<\infty\). The Smirnov class \(N_+\) is the space of those \(f\in N\) such that \(\lim_{r\to 1}\int^{2\pi}_0\log^+ | f(re^{i\theta})| d\theta=\int^{2\pi}_0\log^+| f(e^{i\theta}) | d\theta\), where \(f(e^{i\theta})=\lim_{r\to 1}f(re^{i\theta})\) is the almost everywhere boundary value function on \(\partial \mathbb D\). For \(0<p\leq\infty\), the Hardy space \(H^p\) consists of those \(f\in N_+\) whose boundary value function belongs to \(L^p(\partial \mathbb D)\). An inner function is an \(H^\infty \)-function with radial limits of absolute value \(1\) a.e. on \(\partial \mathbb D\). A function \(g\in N_+\) is said to be outer if it is not divisible in \(N_+\) by a non-constant inner function. A stronger concept is that of a strongly outer function: A function \(g\in H^1\) is said to be strongly outer if the only functions \(f\in H^1\) such that \(f/g\geq 0\) on \(\partial \mathbb D\) are scalar multiples of \(g\). Strongly outer functions play an important role in many extremal problems in \(H^1\). They already appeared in the paper [Pac. J. Math. 8, 467--485 (1958; Zbl 0084.27503)] where \textit{K.~de~Leeuw} and \textit{W.~Rudin} proved that if \(f\in H^1\) and \(\| f\| _{H^1}=1\) then: (a) \(f\) is an extreme point of the unit sphere in \(H^1\) if and only if \(f\) is an outer function; and, (b) \(f\) is an exposed point of the unit sphere in \(H^1\) if and only if \(f\) is an strongly outer function. In this paper the author extends the notion of strongly outer function to \(N_+\) and, for an outer function \(g\in N_+\), he gives a necessary and sufficient condition for \(g\) to be strongly outer, and he shows that there exists an outer function \(G\in N_+\) such that \(| g| \leq{ Re}\,G\) on \(\partial \mathbb D\) if and only if \(g\in H^1\) or \(g\) is not strongly outer.