Sum of two inner functions and exposed points in <i>H</i>¹ (Q4024657)

An analytic (outer) function \(g\) in the Hardy class \(H^ 1\) of the unit disk is strongly outer if whenever \(f\in H^ 1\) is such that \(f/g>0\) a.e. on \(T=\{| z|=1\}\), then necessarily \(f\) is a scalar multiple of \(g\). The author pursues recent work of \textit{H. Helson} [Large analytic functions. II. in Analysis and partial differential equations, Coll. Pap. dedic. Mischa Cotlar, Lect. Notes Pure Appl. Math. 122, 217-220 (1990; Zbl 0741.30028)]. Theorem 1 presents a (somewhat indirect) test that an outer function \(f\) be strongly outer: if \(f\) is not strongly outer, then there is a factorization \(f=(q_ 1+q_ 2)g\), where \(g\) is strongly outer, and the \(q\)'s are inner functions with certain explicit properties. Later (Theorem 2), conditions are given that \(q_ 1+q_ 2\) be expressed as a square. The author also considers, for a general \(f\in H^ 2\), those functions \(g\) such that \(g/f\) is real and discusses this set in the special case the \(f=q_ 1+q_ 2\), with the \(q\)'s inner functions. The paper concludes with a characterization of strongly outer functions \(g\) in terms of outer functions \(h\) of Nevanlinna class such that \(| g|\leq\text{Re }h\) on \(T\).