What can we say about the Image of meromorphic function is $\mathbb{C} $

complex-analysis

I know we can say that the image of an entire function in $\mathbb{C} $ is dense in $\mathbb{C} $ (and actually it assumes any value with one exception, according to Little Picard's Theorem).

I also know that meromoprhic functions in $ \mathbb{P}^{1}\left(\mathbb{C}\right) $ which is $ \mathbb{C}\cup\left\{ \infty\right\} $ (Riemann sphere), assumes any value, that is, surjective.

But what can we say about meromorphic functions in $\mathbb{C}$? are their image dense? they assumes almost any value?

Best Answer

Let $f$ be a meromorphic function on $\mathbb{C}$. Assume that $f$ does omit the different values $a,b,c \in \mathbb{C}$. Then $f-a$ does not assume $0$, and $1/(f-a)$ extends to an entire function (the poles of $f$ are the zeros of $1/(f-a)$). Now $1/(f-a)$ omits the values $1/(b-a)$ and $1/(c-a)$. According to Little Picard's Theorem $1/(f-a)$ and therefore $f$ is constant. Thus a nonconstant meromorphic function on $\mathbb{C}$ can omit at most 2 values. The function $z \mapsto \tan(z)$ for example is meromorphic on $\mathbb{C}$ and omits $\pm i$, since $$ 1+\tan^2(z)= \frac{1}{\cos^2(z)} $$

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