The zeros of \(ff''-b\) (Q1428277)

By a result due to \textit{W. Bergweiler} and \textit{A. Eremenko} see [Rev. Mat. Iberoam. 11, No.2, 355--373 (1995; Zbl 0830.30016)], \((f^n)^{(k)}-b\) possesses infinitely many zeros, provided \(f\) is transcendental meromorphic, \(n>k\geq1\) are integers and \(b\in\mathbf C\setminus\{0\}\). A related conjecture, see [Kexue Tongbao 38, 2215--2218 (1993)], claims that \(ff^{(k)}-b\) has infinitely many zeros, if \(f\) is transcendental meromorphic, \(k\geq1\) is an integer and \(b\neq0\). The present paper is now devoted to prove a strong version of the conjecture just described for \(k=2\) and \(f\) with few zeros. In fact, the following theorem will be proved: If \(f\) is meromorphic of order \(L\in(0,+\infty]\), if \(N(r,f)\) is of order \(<L\) and if \(b\neq0\), then the zero sequence of \(ff''-b\) has exponent of convergence equal to~\(L\). The proof is indirect. Assuming that \(\lambda(ff''-b)<L\), taking \(b=1/2\) without restricting generality and writing \(2f(z)f''(z)=1+W(z)e^{-2ig(z)}\), where \(g(z)\) is entire, we have \(\rho(W)<L\). Applying certain Wiman--Valiron type arguments, the author estimates \(f\) (1) on a radial line segment on which \(\exp(-2iM(r_0,g)(z/z_0)^{\nu(r_0,g)}\) is large and (2) on certain regions where the same quantity is small. Approximating now \(f\) by a solution of \(yy''=1/2\) in a suitable region, the estimates above are shown to be incompatible by using an estimate for harmonic measure originally due to Carleman.