Theorems of Picard type for entire functions of several complex variables (Q1433502)

The author gives an extension of the little Picard theorem for entire functions of several complex variables under conditions on a certain kind of derivative. Let \(f\) be a holomorphic function on \(\mathbb{C}^n\) and \(z= (z_1,\dots, z_n)\) be the natural coordinate system in \(\mathbb{C}^n\). The total derivative \(Df\) of \(f\) is defined by \(Df =z_1 f_{z_1}+\cdots+ z_n f_{z_n}\). For a positive number \(k\), define \(D^kf= D(D^{k-1}f)\) inductively. It is noticed that if \(f\) is transcendental, then \(Df\) is also transcendental. Let \(a\) and \(b\neq 0\) be distinct complex numbers. Then the following are main theorems in this paper: (1) If \(f\neq a\) and \(D^kf\neq b\), then \(f\) is constant. (2) If \(f^kDf\neq b\) for some \(k\) with \(k\geq 2\), then \(f\) is constant. In the proofs the second main theorem type inequality \[ T_f(r)\leq N_f(r, 0)+ N_{D^kf}(r, 1)- N_{D^{k+1}f}(r, 0)+ S_f(r) \] is first proved and it plays an essential role. The author also gives an example that shows the total derivative cannot be replaced by the partial derivative in the assumptions of the above results.