Finitely generated ideals in the Nevanlinna class (Q2421891)

Let \(N\) denote the Nevanlinna class of holomorphic functions in the unit disk. The authors generalize results on the structure of finitely generated ideals \(I=I(f_1,\dots,f_n)\) and their counterparts \(J(f_1,\dots,f_n)\) from the known \(H^\infty\) setting to \(N\). These were considered in \(H^\infty\) by \textit{V. A. Tolokonnikov} [Zap. Nauchn. Semin. Leningr. Otd. Mat. Inst. Steklova 126, 196--201 (1983; Zbl 0518.46043)] and \textit{P. Gorkin} et al. [Math. Ann. 301, No. 1, 135--154 (1995; Zbl 0834.46034)]. To this end, we note that, due to an observation of the reviewer [Trav. Math. 1, 81--91 (1989; Zbl 0693.30027)] and \textit{R. Martin} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 114, No. 1, 135--143 (1992; Zbl 0788.30022)], \(I=N\) if and only if there is a positive harmonic function \(H\) (say \(H\in \mathcal H^+(\mathbb D)\)) with \(\sum_{j=1}^n|f_j|\geq e^{-H}\). This led the authors of the present paper to define the ideals \(J=J(f_1,\dots,f_n)\) in \(N\) by the formula \[ J=\{f\in N: \exists H\in \mathcal H^+(\mathbb D): |f|\leq e^H \sum_{j=1}^n|f_j|\}. \] As in the \(H^\infty\)-setting, here also interpolating Blaschke products play a fundamental role. These are, in the \(N\)-setting, those Blaschke products with zeros \(z_j\) satisfying \( |B'(z_j)|(1-|z_j|^2)\geq e^{-H(z_j)}\) for some \(H\in \mathcal H^+(\mathbb D)\). One of the main results (also an analogy to \(H^\infty\)) tells us that, whenever \(f_1\) and \(f_2 \in N\) have no common zeros, \(I(f_1,f_2)=J(f_1,f_2)\) if and only \(I\) contains an \(N\)-interpolating Blaschke product. Moreover, \(I(f_1,\dots,f_n)=J(f_1,\dots, f_n)\) if either of them contains an \(N\)-interpolating Blaschke product, but the converse does not hold (in general) if \(n\geq 3\). The proofs are quite involved. It is also shown that, in contrast to \(H^\infty\), the Bass stable rank of \(N\) is not one.