No label defined (Q3973853)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0722.00013.] The simplest version of the first Cousin problem is the following: Given two open unit discs \(D\) and \(D'\) with open subsets \(U\subset D\), \(U'\subset D'\) and a biholomorphic map \(f:U\to U'\) such that gluing the discs by \(f\) gives a Hausdorff Riemann surface \(X\). Can we find for any holomorphic function \(h\) on \(U\) two holomorphic functions \(g\) and \(g'\) on \(D\) and \(D'\) respectively, such that \(h\) is the sum of the restrictions of these functions to \(U=U'\)? Since the structure sheaf of \(X\) has vanishing first cohomology the answer is yes. The graph \(Y\) of \(f\) is a closed subvariety of the product of \(D\) and \(D'\). Equivalent to the above question is the following: Can we find for any holomorphic function \(h\) on \(D\times D'\) two holomorphic functions \(g\) and \(g'\) on \(D\) and \(D'\) respectively, such that \(h(x,x')=g(x)+g'(x')\) for all \((x,x')\in Y\)? The authors now replace \(Y\) by an arbitrary closed subvariety of \(D\times D'\) and give an answer to the above question in terms of intersection properties of the boundaries of \(D\), \(D'\) and \(Y\). The motivation of this investigation comes from certain problems in queueing theory [\textit{H. R. Gail}, \textit{S. L. Hantler}, and \textit{B. A. Taylor}, The solution of a class of two-dimensional boundary value problems arising in queueing theory (preprint)].