The iterated minimum modulus and conjectures of Baker and Eremenko (Q2299599)

Let \(f\) be a transcendental entire function and let \(m(r)=\min_{|z|=r}|f(z)|\) be the minimum modulus of \(f\). Let \(m^n(r)\) be the \(n\)-th iterate of \(m(r)\). The authors consider functions for which which there exists \(r>0\) such that \(m^n(r)\to\infty\). They show that this condition holds for large classes of functions. For example, this is the case for functions of order less than \(1/2\), for function with Fabry gaps, or functions with multiply connected wandering domains. Next the authors relate this condition to conjectures of Eremenko and Baker, saying that all components of the escaping set of an entire function are unbounded, and that the Fatou set of an entire function of order less than \(1/2\) has no bounded components. They show that the conclusion of these conjectures holds if \(f\) satisfies the above condition on the iterated minimum modulus and suitable additional hypotheses. They also show that certain sets occurring in this study are \textit{spiders' webs}.