Fuchsian equations with three non-apparent singularities (Q723896)

In this paper, the authors consider second order Fuchsian linear differential equations for which all but three singularities are apparent, that is the ratio of two linearly independent solutions at such a singularity is meromorphic. For such an equation \(E\), they prove a 1905 statement of \textit{F. Klein} [Mathematisches Seminar zu Göttingen, Winter-Semester 1905/06] which asserts that there exists a hypergeometric equation \(H\) and a linear differential operator with polynomial coefficients which maps (surjectively, for generic parameters) the space of solutions of \(H\) into the space of solutions of \(E\). They also count the number of such equations \(E\) with prescribed singularities and exponents. As an application of these results, they describe the conformal metrics of curvature \(1\) on the punctured sphere with conic singularitiers, all but three of them having integer angles, generalizing thus the previous results of the authors quoted in [\textit{A. Eremenko}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 132, No. 11, 3349--3355 (2004; Zbl 1053.53025); \textit{A. Eremenko} et al., Ill. J. Math. 58, No. 3, 739--755 (2014; Zbl 1405.30005); \textit{A. Eremenko} et al., Zh. Mat. Fiz. Anal. Geom. 12, No. 2, 134--167 (2016; Zbl 1364.30048)] and the results for nonpositive curvature already exposed in [\textit{M. Heins}, Nagoya Math. J. 21, 1--60 (1962; Zbl 0113.05603); \textit{É. Picard}, Bull. Sci. Math., II. Sér. 24, 196--210 (1899; JFM 31.0374.01); \textit{M. Troyanov}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 324, No. 2, 793--821 (1991; Zbl 0724.53023)].