Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2001 / iii / Paper 9 / 1 / Solution

Let $f$ be a nonzero meromorphic function in a neighborhood of the closed disk $|z|\le R$, with no boundary zero or pole. List its interior zeros $a_j$ with multiplicities $m_j$ and its interior poles $b_k$ with orders $n_k$. Define the disk Green function and Poisson kernel byAt every interior point that is neither a zero nor a pole, the Poisson-Jensen formula isIn particular, at $z=0$ when $f(0)$ is finite and nonzero, this becomes Jensen's formula, with each zero contributing $-m_j\log (R/|a_j|)$ and each pole contributing $n_k\log (R/|b_k|)$.

Here is a proof that also explains the signs. The disk Blaschke factorshave a simple zero at $a$, no poles in the disk and boundary modulus one. Thereforeextends to a zero-free holomorphic function throughout the disk. Its logarithmic modulus is a harmonic function and agrees with $\log |f|$ on the boundary. The Poisson integral represents $\log |F(z)|$ by that boundary data. Since $\log |B_a|=-G_R(\cdot ,a)$, substitution gives the displayed Poisson-Jensen formula. Boundary zeros or poles can be handled by taking limiting radii: their logarithmic singularities are integrable. When zero is itself a zero or pole, factor out its signed power of $z$ before evaluating Jensen's formula there.