Harmonic dimension of covering surfaces. II (Q1911168)

Consider two positive sequences \(\{a_n\}\) and \(\{b_n\}\) satisfying \(b_{n+1}< a_n<b_n<1\) and \(\lim_{n\to\infty}a_n=0\). Set \(G=\{0<|z|<1\}-I\), where \(I=\bigcup^\infty_{n=1} I_n\) and \(I_n=[a_n,b_n]\). We take \(p(>1)\) copies \(G_1,\dots,G_p\) of \(G\). Joining the upper edge of \(I_n\) on \(G_j\) and the lower edge of \(I_n\) on \(G_{j+1}(j\text{ mod }p)\) for every \(n\), we obtain a \(p\)-sheeted covering surface \(W=W^I_p\) of \(\{0<|z|<1\}\) which is naturally considered as an end of a \(p\)-sheeted covering surface of \(\{0<|z|\leq\infty\}\). We denote by \({\mathcal P}(W)\) the class of all nonnegative harmonic functions on \(W\) with vanishing values on \(\partial W\). The harmonic dimension of \(W\), \(\dim{\mathcal P}(W)\) in notation, is defined as the minimum number of elements of \({\mathcal P}(W)\) generating \({\mathcal P}(W)\) provided that such a finite set exists, otherwise as \(\infty\). In terms of the Martin compactification \(\dim{\mathcal P}(W)\) coincides with the number of minimal points over the ideal boundary of \(\{0<|z|\leq\infty\}\). In the paper previously published in collaboration with \textit{S. Segawa} [Kodai Math. J. 17, No. 2, 351-359 (1994; Zbl 0811.30028)], the following theorem was proved: Theorem A. Suppose that \(p=2^m\) \((m\in \mathbb{N})\). Then (i) \(\dim{\mathcal P}(W)=p\) if and only if \(I\) is thin at \(z=0\); (ii) \(\dim{\mathcal P}(W)=1\) if and only if \(I\) is not thin at \(z=0\). In this note, the author proves that Theorem A is valid for every \(p(>1)\). Theorem. For every integer \(p(>1)\), it holds that (i) \(\dim{\mathcal P}(W)=p\) if and only if \(I\) is thin at \(z=0\); (ii) \(\dim{\mathcal P}(W)=1\) if and only if \(I\) is not thin at \(z=0\).