Subharmonic Functions – Logarithm of Absolute Value

cv.complex-variablesharmonic functionspotential-theory

It is known that the logarithm of the modulus of an analytic function $f: D \subset \mathbb C \rightarrow \mathbb C$ ($D$ is a domain) is subharmonic. I have two questions:

(1) Are there some weaker conditions than analyticity that ensure the same result?

(2) Is there any characterization of functions $f$ such that $\log |f|$ is subharmonic?

Best Answer

Conditions for a log-subharmonic function $f$ on $D\in\mathbb{R}^n$ are described by Mochizuki in A Class of Subharmonic Functions and Integral Inequalities (2004).

The conditions are phrased in terms of an inequality for the volume average $A_p$ of $|f|^p$ and the surface average $M$ of $|f|$, in the form $A_p\leq M^p$ for any closed ball in $D$.
If $n\geq 2$ the condition $A_{1+2/n}\leq M^{1+2/n}$ is sufficient for $\log|f|$ to be subharmonic. If $n=2$ this condition is also necessary, if $n>2$ it is not.

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