On the unicity of meromorphic functions that share four values (Q1766367)

Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions in the plane. It is said that \(f\) and \(g\) share a value \(a \in \widehat{\mathbb C}\) provided that \(f(z)=a\) if and only if \(g(z)=a\). They share the value \(a\) CM (counting multiplicities) if \(f\) and \(g\) have same multiplicity at every \(a\)-point. The well-known four-point-theorem of R.~Nevanlinna states that if \(f\) and \(g\) are non-constant meromorphic functions which share four values CM, then \(f\) is a Möbius transformation of \(g\). An example of \textit{G.~G.~Gundersen} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. II. Ser. 20, 456--466 (1979; Zbl 0413.30025)] shows that one cannot drop the multiplicity completely. On the other hand he [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 277, 545--567 (1983; Zbl 0508.30029), Correction 304, 847--850 (1987; Zbl 0631.30028)] proved that if \(f\) and \(g\) share four values and two of them are shared CM, then \(f\) and \(g\) share all four values CM. An open question is: If two non-constant meromorphic functions share four values and one of them is shared CM, then do the functions necessarily share all four values CM? There are several partial answers due to \textit{E.~Mues} [Complex Variables, Theory Appl. 12, 169--179 (1989; Zbl 0699.30025)], \textit{G.~G.~Gundersen} [Complex Variables, Theory Appl. 20, 99--106 (1992 Zbl 0773.30032)], \textit{S.~Wang} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 173, 359--369 (1993; Zbl 0781.30026)] and \textit{H.~Yi} and \textit{C.~Zhou} [J. Shandong Univ., Nat. Sci. Ed. 31, 121--128 (1996; Zbl 0896.30026)]. In this paper, the author partly resolves this open question. For the statement of the main results, the following notations are needed. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions which share the value \(a\), and denote by \(\overline{N}_E(r,a)\) the counting function of those \(a\)-points of \(f\) and \(g\) which are taken by \(f\) and \(g\) with the same multiplicity, counted only once. Then let \[ \tau(a) := \liminf_{r\to\infty} {\overline{N}_E(r,a) \over \overline{N}(r,a)}\,, \] if \(\overline{N}(r,a) \not\equiv 0\) and \(\tau(a)=1\) otherwise. Note that \(\tau(a)=1\) if \(f\) and \(g\) share the value \(a\) CM. Furthermore, denote by \(\overline{N}_D(r,a)\) the counting function of those \(a\)-points of \(f\) and \(g\) which are taken by \(f\) and \(g\) with different multiplicities, counted only once. Theorem 1. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions which share four values \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\). If \(f\) and \(g\) share \(a_4\) CM, and if \(\tau(a_j)>{1 \over 2}\) for \(j=1,2,3\), then \(f\) and \(g\) share all four values CM. This result is already known and is due to \textit{J.~Wang} [Indian J. Pure Appl. Math. 32, 37--46 (2001; Zbl 0986.30018)]. This paper is not mentioned in the references. Theorem 2. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions which share four values \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\). Then either the functions share all four values CM or else for every \(j \in \{1,2,3,4\}\) there holds \[ \overline{N}_E(r,a_j) \leq 2\overline{N}_D(r,a_j) + 2\overline{N}_D(r,a_k) + S(r,f) \] for \(k \in \{1,2,3,4\} \setminus \{j\}\). This inequality implies the above mentioned results of E.~Mues, G.~G.~Gundersen, S.~Wang and H.~Yi and C.~Zhou.