Functions satisfying Poincaré's multiplication formula (Q2446412)

The paper under review studies systems of ordinary difference equations of the form \[ y_{2}y = A(y_{1})/B(y_{1}) \tag{I} \] and \[ yy_{1} = A(z)/B(z),\quad z_{1}z = C(y_{1})/D(y_{1}) \tag{II} \] where \(A, B, C, D\) are polynomials over \(\mathbb{C}\) and \(A\) and \(B\), as well as \(C\) and \(D\), are relatively prime. (Symbols \(y_{1}\) and \(z_{1}\) denote the first transforms of \(y\) and \(z\), respectively; e. g., \(y_{1}\) is equal to \(y(x+1)\) or \(y(mx)\) \((m\in \mathbb{C})\) or \(y(x^2)\).) Note that such systems appeared in a number of works; for example, many \(q\)-Painlevé can be presented in one of the forms (I) or (II). In this paper, the author proves that equation (I) is irreducible if one has \(\max\{\deg A, \deg B\} > 2\), and if \(\max\{\deg A, \deg B\}\cdot\max\{\deg C, \deg D\} > 4\), then system (II) is irreducible. (The concept of irreducibility is defined in terms of decomposable difference field extensions introduced in the paper; the irreducibility in this sense implies that each transcendental function component of any vector solution cannot be expressed rationally (nor algebraically) by solutions of linear difference equations and solutions of first order algebraic difference equations.) The last part of the paper considers Poincaré theory of certain systems of difference equations (see [\textit{H. Poincaré}, J. Math. Pures Appl. (4) 6, 313--365 (1890; JFM 22.0420.01)]). The author obtains a meromorphic function solution of certain Poincaré systems and shows that they cannot be expressed rationally (nor algebraically) by solutions of linear difference equations, \(e^{x}\), \(\cos x\), \(\sin x\), the Weierstrass function \(\wp(x)\) and any other functions satisfying first order algebraic difference equations, where the basic transforming operator sends \(y(x)\) to \(y(2x)\).