Solutions of complex differential equation having pre-given zeros in the unit disc (Q1731914)

Consider the linear differential equation \[ f'' + a(z)f=0,\tag{1} \] where $a(z)$ is an analytic function in the complex plane or the unit disc $D$. \par It was proved by \textit{V. Šeda} [Acta Fac. Rer. Nat. Univ. Comenianae, Math. 4, 223--253 (1959; Zbl 0099.06603)] that given a sequence of distinct complex numbers $(z_n)$ with no finite limit points there exists an entire function such $a(z)$ that the equation (1) has an entire solution $f$ with the zero sequence $(z_n)$. This result was recently generalized for an arbitrary domain $G$ when the condition $f(z_n)=0$ is replaced with $f(z_n)=b_n$, $(b_n)$ being an arbitrary sequence [\textit{B. Vynnyts'kyi} and \textit{O. Shavala}, Acta Math. Univ. Comen., New Ser. 81, No. 1, 55--60 (2012; Zbl 1265.34325)]. \par The author searches for description of zero sequences $(z_n)$ of solutions of (1) where $a(z)$ belongs to some growth class, in particular, where the coefficient belongs to the space $H_2^\infty$ with the norm $\|a \|:=\sup_{|z|<1} (1-|z|^2)^2|a(z)|$. \par Let $\sigma(z, w)=|\frac{z-w}{1-\bar z w}|$. The uniform density of a sequence $(z_n)$ was introduced by \textit{K. Seip} [Invent. Math. 113, No. 1, 21--39 (1993; Zbl 0789.30025)] $D^+(Z)=\limsup_{r\to 1-} \sup_{z \in \mathbb{D}} \sum_r \frac{\log \frac 1{\sigma(z, z_j)}} {\log \frac 1{1-r}} $, where the sum is taken over $z_j$ satisfying $1/2<\sigma (z, z_j)$<$r$, to solve the interpolation problem in Korenblum spaces. A sequence $(z_n)$ in the unit disc is called separated if $\inf_{n\ne j} \sigma(z_n, z_j)>0$. \par The main result of the paper states that if $Z=(z_k)$ is a separated sequence in the unit disc and $D^+(Z)<1$ then there exists $a\in H_2^\infty$ such that (1) admits a nontrivial solution that vanishes on $Z$. \par Conversely, if $a\in H_2^\infty$ and $f$ is a nontrivial solution of (1) whose zero-sequence is $Z$, then $Z$ is separated and contains at most one point if $\|a\|\le 1$, while $D^+(Z)\le (2\pi+1) \frac{C}{(1-C)^2}, $ where $C=\sqrt{1- \frac{2\sqrt{\|a\|}}{\|a\|+1}}$. \par The proof of Theorem 1 uses essentially the interpolation result by K. Seip. \par As a corollary of Theorem 2 the author obtains (cf. [the author et al., J. Anal. Math. 134, No. 2, 747--768 (2018; Zbl 1417.34210)]) that a sequence $Z$ in the unit disc is the zero-sequence of a non-trivial solution of (1) where $|a(z)|^2 (1-|z|^2)^3 dm(z)$, $dm(z)$ being the Lebesgue measure on $D$, is a Carleson measure if and only if $\inf_{j} \prod_{n\ne j} \sigma(z_n, z_j)>0$. \par An answer to a question from [\textit{J. Heittokangas}, Fields Inst. Commun. 65, 43--98 (2013; Zbl 1277.34122)] is given. Close results in case $D^+(Z)=+\infty$ are established in [\textit{I. Chyzhykov} and \textit{I. Sheparovych}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 414, No. 1, 319--333 (2014; Zbl 1317.30050)].