A factorization problem on a smooth two-dimensional surface (Q2197257)

Let \(\Gamma\subset\mathbb R^3\) be a smooth connected closed surface and \(a\in C(\Gamma)\) a complex-valued function for which the set \(F(a)=\{y\in\Gamma, a(y)=0 \}\) is nonempty. Suppose \(\rho_j\in C(\Gamma)\), \(j=1,2\) be given nonnegative functions such that \(\rho_1\rho_2=|a|\) and \(F(\rho_1)\cap F(\rho_2)=\emptyset\). The following problem is considered: Find functions \(a_1,a_2\in C(\Gamma)\) satisfying the conditions \(a_1a_2=a\), \(|a_j|= \rho_j\), \(j=1,2\). To solve this problem the Cauchy index of the function \(a\) is defined \(\operatorname{Ind}(a,L)=\frac1{2\pi}\int_Ld(\arg a)\), where \(L\subset \Gamma\setminus F\) is orientable piecewise smooth contour. The following theorem is proved: The factorization problem is solvable if and only if \(\operatorname{Ind}(a,L)=0\).