A rigidity theorem for composition operators on certain Bergman spaces (Q1907023)

Given a positive continuous function \(G(r)\) defined for \(r\in(0,1)\), the Bergman space \(A^2_G\) consists of those analytic functions \(f\) in the unit disk for which \(|f|^2=\int_{|z|<1}|f(z)|^2 G(|z|)dA(z)<\infty\). Here \(A\) denotes Lebesgue area measure. Given an analytic function \(\phi\) from the unit disk to itself, the composition operator \(C_\phi\) is defined on \(A^2_G\) by \(C_\phi f=f\circ\phi\), \(f\in A^2_G\). One may ask when \(C_\phi\) actually maps \(A^2_G\) into itself, and when \(C_\phi\) defines a compact operator on \(A^2_G\). The authors address the following issue: is it possible that the only composition operators that map \(A^2_G\) into itself (other than those given by \(\phi(z)=az\), \(|a|=1\)) are compact? The answer is YES if \(G(r)= \exp(-h(r))\) and \((1-r)^3 h'(r)\to\infty\) as \(r\to 1\) (Theorem 1). Theorem 2 shows that the condition of Theorem 1 is sharp.