Order and lower order of composite meromorphic functions (Q1118715)

Let f and g be entire functions, g transcendental. \textit{G. Pólya} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 1, 12-15 (1926)] proved that if f(g) has finite order, then f has order zero. \textit{F. Gross} [Factorization of meromorphic functions (1972; Zbl 0266.30006)] proved an analogous result for the lower order. \textit{A. Schönhage} [Math. Z. 73, 22-44 (1960; Zbl 0123.267)] generalized Pólya's result to the \(\ell\)-order which is defined as \[ \limsup \log_{\ell +1}T(r,f)/\log r\quad as\quad r\to \infty. \] Here \(\log_ 0x=x\) and \(\log_{\ell +1}x=\log (\log_{\ell}x)\) for \(\ell \geq 0\). \textit{A. Edrei} and \textit{W. H. J. Fuchs} [J. Anal. Math. 12, 243-255 (1964; Zbl 0121.304)] proved that Pólya's result holds for meromorphic f as well. In this paper, the author proves that Gross's result also holds for meromorphic f, while Schönhage's result does not. As he points out, the proof of Edrei and Fuchs does not carry over to the case of the lower order. The proof he gives is based on Nevanlinna theory.