On the exponential transform of multi-sheeted algebraic domains (Q766033)

Given a bounded domain \(\Omega\subset\mathbb{C}\), the exponential transform of \(\Omega\) is the function \(E_\Omega: \mathbb{C}^2\to \mathbb{C}\) defined by the formula \[ E_\Omega(z,w):= \exp\Biggl({1\over 2\pi i} \int_\Omega {d\zeta\over\zeta- z}\wedge {d\overline\zeta\over\overline\zeta- \overline w}\Biggr),\quad (z,w)\in \mathbb{C}^2.\tag{1} \] For the unit disc \(\mathbb{C}\), the exponential transform can be written in the form \[ E_{\mathbb{D}}(z,w)= \Biggl({\overline z-\overline w\over S(z)-\overline w}^{\rho(z)}\Biggr)\cdot\Biggl({z-w\over z-\overline{S(w)}}\Biggr)^{\rho(w)}\cdot{\mathcal E}(z,\overline w),\tag{2} \] where \[ {\mathcal E}(z,\overline w)= {z\overline w-1\over z\overline w},\quad S(z):= {1\over z}, \] and \(\rho:=\chi_{{\mathbb{D}}}\) is the characteristic function of \(\mathbb{D}\). The function \({\mathcal E}(z,\overline w)\) is an instance of a so-called elimination function, which is generally defined by means of the meromorphic resultant \({\mathcal R}(f,g)\) of two meromorphic functions \(f\) and \(g\). In the example of the unit disc, one obtains precisely the rational function \[ \begin{multlined} {\mathcal E}(z,\overline w)={\mathcal R}(\zeta- z,S(\zeta)-\overline w)= (S(\zeta)-\overline w)((\zeta- z))=\\ (S(\zeta)-\overline w)(1\cdot(z)- 1\cdot(\infty))= {S(z)-\overline w\over S(\infty)-\overline w}= {z\overline w-1\over z\overline w},\end{multlined} \] as indicated above. In the paper under review, the authors try to generalize the formula (2) for the exponential function \(E_\Omega(z,w)\) as far as possible. More precisely, they define an extended exponential function in four complex variables and an analogous elimination function in four variables, which is defined in terms of a conjugate pair of meromorphic functions on a fairly general type of compact symmetric Riemann surface. In fact, while the first two sections of the paper assemble some preliminary material on Cauchy transforms, exponential transforms, meromorphic resultants and elimination functions, the subsequent section is devoted to suitable algebraic domains and quadrature domains, which appear here as branched covering surfaces over the Riemann sphere. It is shown that these two classes of domains actually coincide, and in the following sections the authors' main result is derived. It states that the extended exponential function of such a multi-sheeted algebraic domain essentially coincides with a certain extended elimination function for a generating pair of meromorphic functions. At the end of the paper, concrete examples of multi-sheeted algebraic domains and their extended exponential transforms illustrate the authors' approach. In this context, the algebraic curves associated to level curves of the classical Neumann oval with equation \[ a^2 b^2(x^2+ y^2)^2- a^2 x^2- b^2 y^2= 0 \] serve as a fertile testing ground.