Normal families of meromorphic functions with multiple zeros and poles (Q5893869)

Let \(D\) be a domain in the complex plane. The authors prove the following result. Theorem. If \(k\) is an integer with \(k\geq 2\), if \(a(z)\) is a function holomorphic on \(D\) with \(a(z)\not\equiv 0\), and if \({\mathcal F}\) is a family of functions meromorphic in \(D\) such that, for each function \(f \in {\mathcal F}\), (1) all of the poles of \(f\) are of multiplicity at least 3, (2) all of the zeros of \(f\) have multiplicity at least \(k+1\) and (3) \(f^{(k)} (z) \neq a(z)\) for each \(z\in D\), then \({\mathcal F}\) is a normal family on \(D\). This result is related to a recent result of \textit{X. Pang} and \textit{L. Zalcman} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 32, No. 3, 325--331 (2000; Zbl 1030.30031)], in which conditions (1), (2), and (3) occur as (1') all of the poles of \(f\) are multiple, (2') all of the zeros of \(f\) have multiplicity at least 3, and (3')\( f'(z)\neq a(z)\) for each \(z\in D\). The proof involves calculations using a number of known technical lemmas.