Completeness of the reduction of scalar, meromorphic differential equations of second order (Q1105747)

The authors consider the question how scalar, meromorphic differential equations of the second order can be reduced by means of meromorphic equivalence. They show that apart from exemptions of a particularly easy structure any such equation can be transformed into a special scalar equation. These special scalar equations, which they had introduced in a previous paper, turn out to be simplest possible in the sense that they carry the smallest number of parameters throughout their equivalence classes. One consequence is that the appearance of additional regular singularities cannot be avoided. Finally representatives for all equivalence classes are given.