Exceptional functions and normal families of meromorphic functions with multiple zeros (Q2474928)

The following result is proved. Let \(k\geq 2\) be a positive integer, \(h\not\equiv 0\) be a holomorphic function which has no simple zeros in a domain \(D\) of the complex plane, and let \(F\) be a family of of meromorphic functions in \(D\), all of whose poles are multiple and all of whose zeros have multiplicity at least \(k+1\). If \(f^{(k)}\neq h\) for each \(f\in F\), then the family \(F\) is normal in \(D\). This extends a result from [\textit{Y. Wang, M. Fang}, Acta Math. Sin., New Ser. 14, No.~1, 17--26 (1998; Zbl 0909.30025)] where it was proved for constant functions \(h\).