Algebraic points on meromorphic curves

Abstract

The classic Schneider-Lang theorem in transcendence theory asserts that there are only finitely many points at which algebraically independent complex meromorphic functions of finite order of growth can simultaneously take values in a number field, when satisfying a polynomial differential equation with coefficients in this given number field. In this article, we are interested in generalizing this theorem in two directions. First, instead of considering meromorphic functions on C we consider holomorphic maps on an affine curve over the field C or C_p. This extends a statement of D. Bertrand, which applies to meromorphic functions on P^1(C) or P^1(C_p) minus a finite subset of points. Secondly, we deal with algebraic values taken by the functions, instead of rational values as in the classic setting, inspired by a work of D. Bertrand. We prove a geometric statement extending those two results, using the slopes method, written in the language of Arakelov geometry. In the complex case, we recover a special case of a result by C. Gasbarri.