On First and Second Order Planar Elliptic Equations with Degeneracies

This paper deals with elliptic equations in the plane with degeneracies. The equations are generated by a complex vector field that is elliptic everywhere except along a simple closed curve. Kernels for these equations are constructed. Properties of solutions, in a neighborhood of the degeneracy curve, are obtained through integral and series representations. An application to a second order elliptic equation with a punctual singularity is given.