Meromorphic functions sharing four values (Q5936400)

Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions in the plane. It is said that \(f\) and \(g\) share a value \(a \in \widehat{\mathbb C}\) if \(A:=f^{-1}(a)=g^{-1}(a)\). They share the value \(a\) CM (counting multiplicities) if for every \(z_0 \in A\) the multiplicities \(\nu(z_0,a,f)\) and \(\nu(z_0,a,g)\) are equal. The well-known four-point-theorem of R.~Nevanlinna states that if \(f\) and \(g\) are non-constant meromorphic functions which share four values CM, then \(f\) is a Möbius transformation of \(g\). An example of \textit{G. G. Gundersen} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 20, 456-466 (1979; Zbl 0413.30025))] shows that one cannot drop the multiplicity completely. On the other hand [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 277, 545-567 (1983; Zbl 0508.30029), Correction 304, 847-850 (1987; Zbl 0631.30028)] proved that if \(f\) and \(g\) share four values and two of them are shared CM, then \(f\) and \(g\) share all four values CM. An open question is: If two non-constant meromorphic functions share four values and one of them is shared CM, then do the functions necessarily share all four values CM? There are several partial answers due to \textit{E.~Mues} [Complex Variables, Theory Appl. 12, No. 1-4, 169-179 (1989; Zbl 0699.30025)], S.~Wang [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 173, No. 2, 359-369 (1993; Zbl 0781.30026)] and others. In this paper, the author proves further results on this topic with a completely different method from the usual one previously used. For the statement of the main results, the following definition is needed. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions which share the value \(a\), and denote by \(\overline{N}_E(r,a)\) the counting function of those \(a\)-points of \(f\) and \(g\) which are taken by \(f\) and \(g\) with the same multiplicity, counted only once. Then let \[ \tau(a) := \liminf_{r\to\infty} {\overline{N}_E(r,a) \over \overline{N}(r,a)} , \] if \(\overline{N}(r,a) \not\equiv 0\) and \(\tau(a)=1\) otherwise. Note that \(\tau(a)=1\) if \(f\) and \(g\) share the value \(a\) CM. Theorem 1. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions which share four values \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\). If \(\tau(a_j)>{2 \over 3}\) for \(j=1,2,3,4\), then \(f\) and \(g\) share all four values CM. Theorem 2. Let \(f\) and \(g\) be non-constant meromorphic functions which share four values \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\). If \(f\) and \(g\) share \(a_4\) CM, and if \(\tau(a_j)>{1 \over 2}\) for \(j=1,2,3\), then \(f\) and \(g\) share all four values CM.