On fixed points of composite meromorphic functions (Q1078718)

This paper deals with a conjecture, stated by the first author, that the composite function of two nonlinear entire functions (at least one of them transcendental) has infinitely many fixed points. The main results are: Let \(f(w)=P_ 1(w)/P_ 2(w)\), where \(P_ 1,P_ 2\) denote two relatively prime polynomials in \({\mathbb{C}}[w]\), both nonlinear, and g denotes any transcendental meromorphic function. (i) If \(d=\max (\deg P_ 1,\deg P_ 2)>2\) then \(f\circ g\) has infinitely many fixed points. (ii) If \(d=2\), there exist entire and meromorphic functions g such that \(f\circ g\) has a prescribed number of fixed points. (This functions can be characterized explicitly.) There are also treated some special cases in which this explicit characterization of this function is discussed. Apart from the use of earlier results of the authors is the Nevanlinna theory the most important tool in the proof.