We give an explicit formula for the logarithmic potential of the asymptotic zero-counting measure of the sequence {(dn/dzn)(R(z)expT(z))}∞n=1. Here, R(z) is a rational function with at least two poles, all of which are distinct, and T(z) is a polynomial. This is an extension of a recent measure-theoretic refinement of Pólya’s Shire theorem for rational functions.

We prove a structure theorem for any n-rectifiable set E⊂Rn+1,n≥1, satisfying a weak version of the lower ADR condition, and having locally finite Hn (n-dimensional Hausdorff) measure. Namely, that Hn-almost all of E can be covered by a countable union of boundaries of bounded Lipschitz domains contained in Rn+1∖E. As a consequence, for harmonic measure in the complement of such a set E, we establish a non-degeneracy condition which amounts to saying that Hn|E is “absolutely continuous” with respect to harmonic measure in the sense that any Borel subset of E with strictly positive Hn measure has strictly positive harmonic measure in some connected component of Rn+1∖E. We also provide some counterexamples showing that our result for harmonic measure is optimal. Moreover, we show that if, in addition, a set E as above is the boundary of a connected domain Ω⊂Rn+1 which satisfies an infinitesimal interior thickness condition, then Hn|∂Ω is absolutely continuous (in the usual sense) with respect to harmonic measure for Ω. Local versions of these results are also proved: if just some piece of the boundary is n-rectifiable then we get the corresponding absolute continuity on that piece. As a consequence of this and recent results in “Rectifiability of harmonic measure” [Geom. Funct. Anal. 26 (2016), 703–728], we can decompose the boundary of any open connected set satisfying the previous conditions in two disjoint pieces: one that is n-rectifiable where Hausdorff measure is absolutely continuous with respect to harmonic measure and another purely n-unrectifiable piece having vanishing harmonic measure.

We show that sparse and Carleson coefficients are equivalent for every countable collection of Borel sets and hence, in particular, for dyadic rectangles, the case relevant to the theory of bi-parameter singular integrals. The key observation is that a dual refomulation by I. E. Verbitsky for Carleson coefficients over dyadic cubes holds also for Carleson coefficients over general sets.