Order of growth of solutions to algebraic differential equations in the unit disk (Q1777678)

The authors consider an algebraic differential equation of the form \[ \sum_{\overline {\alpha} \in I} a_{\overline {\alpha}}(z) y^{\alpha_{0}}\left(y^{(1)}\right)^{\alpha_{1}} \cdots \left(y^{(k)}\right)^{y_{k}} = 0 , \tag{1} \] where \(I\) is a finite set of distinct tuples \((\alpha_{0}, \alpha_{1}, \ldots , \alpha_{k})\) for which \(\alpha _{i}\) is a nonnegative integer and \(a_{\overline {\alpha}}\) are meromorphic functions in the open unit disc \(D\). \textit{S. B. Bank} [Compos. Math. 25, 61--70 (1972; Zbl 0246.34006)] investigated (1) where \(I\) consists of 2-tuples and \(a_{\overline {\alpha}}\) are arbitrary analytic functions of finite order in the unit disc. He noted that for arbitrary meromorphic solutions in the unit disc no uniform growth estimate is possible. \textit{J. Heittokangas} [``On complex differential equations in the unit disc'', Annales Academiae Scientiation Fennicae. Mathematica. Dissertationes. 122. Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia. Joensuu, Department of Mathematics (2000; Zbl 0965.34075)] showed for certain sets \(I\) that each meromorphic solution of (1) has finite order when the coefficients \(a_{\overline {\alpha}}\) are polynomials. In the present paper, the authors investigate the growth of meromorphic solutions of (1) and establish some sufficient conditions under which the meromorphic solutions of (1) have finite order (defined in terms of Ahlfors-Shimizu characteristic function). The Zalcman lemma for normal families of meromorphic functions plays a vital role in the proofs of the theorems of the paper.