Datasets:
Tasks:
Text Generation
Modalities:
Text
Sub-tasks:
language-modeling
Languages:
English
Size:
100K - 1M
License:
\chapter{Holomorphic functions} | |
Throughout this chapter, we denote by $U$ an open subset of the complex plane, | |
and by $\Omega$ an open subset which is also simply connected. | |
The main references for this chapter were \cite{ref:dartmouth,ref:bak_ca}. | |
\section{The nicest functions on earth} | |
In high school you were told how to differentiate and integrate real-valued functions. | |
In this chapter on complex analysis, | |
we'll extend it to differentiation and integration of complex-valued functions. | |
Big deal, you say. Calculus was boring enough. Why do I care about complex calculus? | |
Perhaps it's easiest to motivate things if I compare real analysis to complex analysis. | |
In real analysis, your input lives inside the real line $\RR$. | |
This line is not terribly discerning -- you can construct a lot of unfortunate functions. | |
Here are some examples. | |
\begin{example} | |
[Optional: evil real functions] | |
You can skim over these very quickly: they're only here to make a point. | |
\begin{enumerate}[(a)] | |
\ii The \vocab{Devil's Staircase} (or Cantor function) | |
is a continuous function $H : [0,1] \to [0,1]$ | |
which has derivative zero ``almost everywhere'', | |
yet $H(0) = 0$ and $H(1) = 1$. | |
\ii The \vocab{Weierstra\ss\ function} | |
\[ x \mapsto \sum_{n=0}^\infty \left( \half \right)^n \cos \left( 2015^n \pi x \right) \] | |
is continuous \emph{everywhere} but differentiable \emph{nowhere}. | |
\ii The function | |
\[ | |
x \mapsto | |
\begin{cases} | |
x^{100} & x \ge 0 \\ | |
-x^{100} & x < 0 | |
\end{cases} | |
\] | |
has the first $99$ derivatives but not the $100$th one. | |
\ii | |
If a function has all derivatives (we call these \vocab{smooth} functions), | |
then it has a Taylor series. | |
But for real functions that Taylor series might still be wrong. The function | |
\[ x \mapsto | |
\begin{cases} | |
e^{-1/x} & x > 0 \\ | |
0 & x \le 0 | |
\end{cases} | |
\] | |
has derivatives at every point. | |
But if you expand the Taylor series at $x=0$, you get $0 + 0x + 0x^2 + \dots$, | |
which is wrong for \emph{any} $x > 0$ (even $x=0.0001$). | |
\end{enumerate} | |
\end{example} | |
\begin{figure}[h] | |
\centering | |
\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{media/weierstrass-pubdomain.png} | |
\caption{The Weierstra\ss\ Function (image from \cite{img:weierstrass}).} | |
\end{figure} | |
Let's even put aside the pathology. | |
If I tell you the value of a real smooth function on the interval $[-1, 1]$, | |
that still doesn't tell you anything about the function as a whole. | |
It could be literally anything, because it's somehow possible to ``fuse together'' smooth functions. | |
So what about complex functions? | |
If you consider them as functions $\RR^2 \to \RR^2$, you now have the interesting property | |
that you can integrate along things that are not line segments: you can write integrals | |
across curves in the plane. | |
But $\CC$ has something more: it is a \emph{field}, so you can \emph{multiply} and \emph{divide} two complex numbers. | |
So we restrict our attention to differentiable functions called \emph{holomorphic functions}. | |
It turns out that the multiplication on $\CC$ makes all the difference. | |
The primary theme in what follows is that holomorphic functions are \emph{really, really nice}, | |
and that knowing tiny amounts of data about the function can determine all its values. | |
%In particular, they are highly \emph{rigid} and \emph{regular}. | |
The two main highlights of this chapter, | |
from which all other results are more or less corollaries: | |
\begin{itemize} | |
\ii Contour integrals of loops are always zero. | |
\ii A holomorphic function is essentially given by its Taylor series; | |
in particular, single-differentiable implies infinitely differentiable. | |
Thus, holomorphic functions behave quite like polynomials. | |
\end{itemize} | |
Some of the resulting corollaries: | |
\begin{itemize} | |
\ii It'll turn out that knowing the values of a holomorphic function | |
on the boundary of the unit circle will tell you the values in its interior. | |
\ii Knowing the values of the function at $1$, $\half$, $\frac13$, \dots | |
are enough to determine the whole function! | |
\ii Bounded holomorphic functions $\CC \to \CC$ must be constant | |
\ii And more\dots | |
\end{itemize} | |
As \cite{ref:pugh} writes: ``Complex analysis is the good twin and real analysis is the evil one: beautiful formulas and elegant theorems seem to blossom spontaneously in the complex domain, while toil and pathology rule the reals''. | |
\section{Complex differentiation} | |
\prototype{Polynomials are holomorphic; $\ol z$ is not.} | |
Let $f : U \to \CC$ be a complex function. | |
Then for some $z_0 \in U$, we define the \vocab{derivative} at $z_0$ to be | |
\[ | |
\lim_{h \to 0} \frac{f(z_0+h) - f(z_0)}{h}. | |
\] | |
Note that this limit may not exist; | |
when it does we say $f$ is \vocab{differentiable} at $z_0$. | |
What do I mean by a ``complex'' limit $h \to 0$? | |
It's what you might expect: for every $\eps > 0$ there should be a $\delta > 0$ | |
such that | |
\[ 0 < \left\lvert h \right\rvert < \delta | |
\implies | |
\left\lvert \frac{f(z_0+h)-f(z_0)}{h} - L \right\rvert < \eps. \] | |
If you like topology, you are encouraged to think of this in terms of | |
open neighborhoods in the complex plane. | |
(This is why we require $U$ to be open: | |
it makes it possible to take $\delta$-neighborhoods in it.) | |
But note that having a complex derivative is actually much stronger | |
than a real function having a derivative. | |
In the real line, $h$ can only approach zero from below and above, | |
and for the limit to exist we need the ``left limit'' to equal the ``right limit''. | |
But the complex numbers form a \emph{plane}: $h$ can approach zero | |
from many directions, and we need all the limits to be equal. | |
\begin{example} | |
[Important: conjugation is \emph{not} holomorphic] | |
Let $f(z) = \ol z$ be complex conjugation, $f : \CC \to \CC$. | |
This function, despite its simple nature, is not holomorphic! | |
Indeed, at $z=0$ we have, | |
\[ \frac{f(h)-f(0)}{h} = \frac{\ol h}{h}. \] | |
This does not have a limit as $h \to 0$, because depending | |
on ``which direction'' we approach zero from we have different values. | |
\begin{center} | |
\begin{asy} | |
size(7cm); | |
dot("$0$", origin, dir(225)); | |
void meow(string s, real theta, real eps = 45, pen p) { | |
draw( (dir(theta) * 0.8) -- (dir(theta) * 0.2), p+1); | |
draw( (dir(theta) * 0.8) -- (dir(theta) * 0.2), p, Arrow); | |
label(s, dir(theta)*0.5, dir(eps), p); | |
} | |
meow("$1$", 0, 90, blue); | |
meow("$1$", 180, 90, blue); | |
meow("$i$", -45, 45, heavygreen); | |
meow("$-1$", 90, 0, red); | |
label("$f(z) = \overline z$", dir(135)); | |
label("$\dfrac{f(0+h)-f(0)}{h}$", dir(135)-0.35*dir(90)); | |
import graph; | |
graph.xaxis("Re", -1, 1, grey, NoTicks, Arrows); | |
graph.yaxis("Im", -1, 1, grey, NoTicks, Arrows); | |
\end{asy} | |
\end{center} | |
\end{example} | |
If a function $f : U \to \CC$ is complex differentiable | |
at all the points in its domain it is called \vocab{holomorphic}. | |
In the special case of a holomorphic function with domain $U = \CC$, | |
we call the function \vocab{entire}.\footnote{Sorry, I know the word ``holomorphic'' sounds so much cooler. I'll try to do things more generally for that sole reason.} | |
\begin{example} | |
[Examples of holomorphic functions] | |
In all the examples below, the derivative of the function | |
is the same as in their real analogues | |
(e.g.\ the derivative of $e^z$ is $e^z$). | |
\begin{enumerate}[(a)] | |
\ii Any polynomial $z \mapsto z^n + c_{n-1} z^{n-1} + \dots + c_0$ is holomorphic. | |
\ii The complex exponential $\exp : x+yi \mapsto e^x (\cos y + i \sin y)$ | |
can be shown to be holomorphic. | |
\ii $\sin$ and $\cos$ are holomorphic when extended | |
to the complex plane by $\cos z = \frac{e^{iz}+e^{-iz}}{2}$ | |
and $\sin z = \frac{e^{iz}-e^{-iz}}{2i}$. | |
\ii As usual, the sum, product, chain rules and so on apply, | |
and hence \textbf{sums, products, nonzero quotients, | |
and compositions of holomorphic functions are also holomorphic}. | |
\end{enumerate} | |
\end{example} | |
You are welcome to try and prove these results, but I won't bother to do so. | |
\section{Contour integrals} | |
\prototype{$\oint_\gamma z^m \; dz$ around the unit circle.} | |
In the real line we knew how to integrate a function across a line segment $[a,b]$: | |
essentially, we'd ``follow along'' the line segment adding up the values of $f$ we see | |
to get some area. | |
Unlike in the real line, in the complex plane we have the power to integrate | |
over arbitrary paths: for example, we might compute an integral around a unit circle. | |
A contour integral lets us formalize this. | |
First of all, if $f : \RR \to \CC$ and $f(t) = u(t) + iv(t)$ for $u,v \in \RR$, | |
we can define an integral $\int_a^b$ by just adding the real and imaginary parts: | |
\[ \int_a^b f(t) \; dt | |
= \left( \int_a^b u(t) \; dt \right) | |
+ i \left( \int_a^b v(t) \; dt \right). \] | |
Now let $\alpha : [a,b] \to \CC$ be a path, thought of as | |
a complex differentiable\footnote{This isn't entirely correct here: | |
you want the path $\alpha$ to be continuous and mostly differentiable, | |
but you allow a finite number of points to have ``sharp bends''; in other words, | |
you can consider paths which are combinations of $n$ smooth pieces. | |
But for this we also require that $\alpha$ has ``bounded length''.} function. | |
Such a path is called a \vocab{contour}, | |
and we define its \vocab{contour integral} by | |
\[ | |
\oint_\alpha f(z) \; dz | |
= \int_a^b f(\alpha(t)) \cdot \alpha'(t) \; dt. | |
\] | |
You can almost think of this as a $u$-substitution (which is where the $\alpha'$ comes from). | |
In particular, it turns out this integral does not depend on how $\alpha$ is ``parametrized'': | |
a circle given by \[ [0,2\pi] \to \CC : t \mapsto e^{it} \] | |
and another circle given by \[ [0,1] \to \CC : t \mapsto e^{2\pi i t} \] | |
and yet another circle given by \[ [0,1] \to \CC : t \mapsto e^{2 \pi i t^5} \] | |
will all give the same contour integral, because the paths they represent have the same | |
geometric description: ``run around the unit circle once''. | |
In what follows I try to use $\alpha$ for general contours and $\gamma$ in the special case of loops. | |
Let's see an example of a contour integral. | |
\begin{theorem} | |
\label{thm:central_cauchy_computation} | |
Take $\gamma : [0,2\pi] \to \CC$ to be the unit circle specified by | |
\[ t \mapsto e^{it}. \] | |
Then for any integer $m$, we have | |
\[ \oint_\gamma z^{m} \; dz | |
= | |
\begin{cases} | |
2\pi i & m = -1 \\ | |
0 & \text{otherwise} | |
\end{cases} | |
\] | |
\end{theorem} | |
\begin{proof} | |
The derivative of $e^{it}$ is $i e^{it}$. | |
So, by definition the answer is the value of | |
\begin{align*} | |
\int_0^{2\pi} (e^{it})^m \cdot (ie^{it}) \; dt | |
&= \int_0^{2\pi} i(e^{it})^{1+m} \; dt \\ | |
&= i \int_0^{2\pi} \cos [(1+m)t] + i \sin [(1+m)t] \; dt \\ | |
&= - \int_0^{2\pi} \sin [(1+m)t] \; dt + i \int_0^{2\pi} \cos [(1+m)t] \; dt. | |
\end{align*} | |
This is now an elementary calculus question. | |
One can see that this equals $2\pi i$ if $m=-1$ and | |
otherwise the integrals vanish. | |
\end{proof} | |
Let me try to explain why this intuitively ought to be true for $m=0$. | |
In that case we have $\oint_\gamma 1 \; dz$. | |
So as the integral walks around the unit circle, it ``sums up'' all the tangent vectors | |
at every point (that's the direction it's walking in), multiplied by $1$. | |
And given the nice symmetry of the circle, it should come as no surprise that everything cancels out. | |
The theorem says that even if we multiply by $z^m$ for $m \neq -1$, we get the same cancellation. | |
\begin{center} | |
\begin{asy} | |
size(5cm); | |
draw(unitcircle, dashed); | |
void arrow(real theta) { | |
pair P = dir(theta); | |
dot(P); | |
pair delta = 0.4*P*dir(90); | |
draw( P--(P+delta), EndArrow ); | |
} | |
arrow(0); | |
arrow(50); | |
arrow(140); | |
arrow(210); | |
arrow(300); | |
\end{asy} | |
\end{center} | |
\begin{definition} | |
Given $\alpha : [0,1] \to \CC$, | |
we denote by $\ol\alpha$ the ``backwards'' contour | |
$\ol\alpha(t) = \alpha(1-t)$. | |
\end{definition} | |
\begin{ques} | |
What's the relation between $\oint_\alpha f \; dz$ and $\oint_{\ol\alpha} f \; dz$? | |
Prove it. | |
\end{ques} | |
This might seem a little boring. | |
Things will get really cool really soon, I promise. | |
\section{Cauchy-Goursat theorem} | |
\prototype{$\oint_\gamma z^m \; dz = 0$ for $m \ge 0$. But if $m < 0$, Cauchy's theorem does not apply.} | |
Let $\Omega \subseteq \CC$ be simply connected (for example, $\Omega = \CC$), | |
and consider two paths $\alpha$, $\beta$ with the same start and end points. | |
\begin{center} | |
\begin{asy} | |
unitsize(0.8cm); | |
bigbox("$\Omega$"); | |
pair A = Drawing((-3,0)); | |
pair B = Drawing((3,0)); | |
draw(A..(-2,0.5)..MP("\alpha", (0,2), dir(90))..(1,1.2)..B, red, EndArrow); | |
draw(A----MP("\beta", (A+B)/2, dir(-90))--B, blue, EndArrow); | |
\end{asy} | |
\end{center} | |
What's the relation between $\oint_\alpha f(z) \; dz$ and $\oint_\beta f(z) \; dz$? | |
You might expect there to be some relation between them, considering that the space $\Omega$ is simply connected. | |
But you probably wouldn't expect there to be \emph{much} of a relation. | |
As a concrete example, let $\Psi : \CC \to \CC$ be the function $z \mapsto z - \Re[z]$ | |
(for example, $\Psi(2015+3i) = 3i$). Let's consider two paths from $-1$ to $1$. | |
Thus $\beta$ is walking along the real axis, and $\alpha$ which follows an upper semicircle. | |
\begin{center} | |
\begin{asy} | |
pair A = Drawing("-1", dir(180), dir(-90)); | |
pair B = Drawing("1", dir(0), dir(-90)); | |
draw(arc(origin, 1, 180, 0), red, EndArrow); | |
MP("\alpha", dir(90), dir(90)); | |
draw(A--B, blue, EndArrow); | |
MP("\beta", 0, dir(-90)); | |
\end{asy} | |
\end{center} | |
Obviously $\oint_\beta \Psi(z) \; dz = 0$. | |
But heaven knows what $\oint_\alpha \Psi(z) \; dz$ is supposed to equal. | |
We can compute it now just out of non-laziness. | |
If you like, you are welcome to compute it yourself (it's a little annoying but not hard). | |
If I myself didn't mess up, it is | |
\[ \oint_\alpha \Psi(z) \; dz = - \oint_{\ol\alpha} \Psi(z) \; dz | |
= - \int_0^\pi (i \sin(t)) \cdot ie^{it} \; dt = \half\pi i \] | |
which in particular is not zero. | |
But somehow $\Psi$ is not a really natural function. | |
It's not respecting any of the nice, multiplicative structure of $\CC$ since | |
it just rudely lops off the real part of its inputs. | |
More precisely, | |
\begin{ques} | |
Show that $\Psi(z) = z - \Re[z]$ is not holomorphic. | |
(Hint: $\ol z$ is not holomorphic.) | |
\end{ques} | |
Now here's a miracle: for holomorphic functions, the two integrals are \emph{always equal}. | |
Equivalently, (by considering $\alpha$ followed by $\ol\beta$) contour integrals of loops are always zero. | |
This is the celebrated Cauchy-Goursat theorem | |
(also called the Cauchy integral theorem, | |
but later we'll have a ``Cauchy Integral Formula'' so blah). | |
\begin{theorem} | |
[Cauchy-Goursat theorem] | |
Let $\gamma$ be a loop, and $f : \Omega \to \CC$ a holomorphic function | |
where $\Omega$ is open in $\CC$ and simply connected. | |
Then | |
\[ \oint_\gamma f(z) \; dz = 0. \] | |
\end{theorem} | |
\begin{remark}[Sanity check] | |
This might look surprising considering that we saw $\oint_\gamma z^{-1} \; dz = 2 \pi i$ earlier. | |
The subtlety is that $z^{-1}$ is not even defined at $z = 0$. | |
On the other hand, the function $\CC \setminus \{0\} \to \CC$ by $z \mapsto \frac 1z$ \emph{is} holomorphic! | |
The defect now is that $\Omega = \CC \setminus \{0\}$ is not simply connected. | |
So the theorem passes our sanity checks, albeit barely. | |
\end{remark} | |
The typical proof of Cauchy's Theorem assumes additionally | |
that the partial derivatives of $f$ are continuous | |
and then applies the so-called Green's theorem. | |
But it was Goursat who successfully proved the fully general theorem we've stated above, | |
which assumed only that $f$ was holomorphic. | |
I'll only outline the proof, and very briefly. | |
You can show that if $f : \Omega \to \CC$ has an antiderivative $F : \Omega \to \CC$ which is also holomorphic, | |
and moreover $\Omega$ is simply connected, then you get a ``fundamental theorem of calculus'', a la | |
\[ \oint_\alpha f(z) \; dz = F(\alpha(b)) - F(\alpha(a)) \] | |
where $\alpha : [a,b] \to \CC$ is some path. | |
So to prove Cauchy-Goursat, you only have to show this antiderivative $F$ exists. | |
Goursat works very hard to prove the result in the special case that $\gamma$ is a triangle, | |
and hence by induction for any polygon. | |
Once he has the result for a rectangle, he uses this special case to construct the function $F$ explicitly. | |
Goursat then shows that $F$ is holomorphic, completing the proof. | |
Anyways, the theorem implies that $\oint_\gamma z^m \; dz = 0$ when $m \ge 0$. | |
So much for all our hard work earlier. | |
But so far we've only played with circles. | |
This theorem holds for \emph{any} contour which is a loop. | |
So what else can we do? | |
\section{Cauchy's integral theorem} | |
We now present a stunning application of Cauchy-Goursat, a ``representation theorem'': | |
essentially, it says that values of $f$ inside a disk | |
are determined by just the values on the boundary! | |
In fact, we even write down the exact formula. | |
As \cite{ref:dartmouth} says, | |
``any time a certain type of function satisfies some sort of representation theorem, | |
it is likely that many more deep theorems will follow.'' | |
Let's pull back the curtain: | |
\begin{theorem}[Cauchy's integral formula] | |
Let $\gamma : [0,2\pi] \to \CC$ be a circle in the plane given by $t \mapsto Re^{it}$, | |
which bounds a disk $D$. | |
Suppose $f : U \to \CC$ is holomorphic such that $U$ contains the circle and its interior. | |
Then for any point $a$ in the interior of $D$, we have | |
\[ | |
f(a) | |
= | |
\frac{1}{2\pi i} \oint_\gamma \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz. | |
\] | |
\end{theorem} | |
Note that we don't require $U$ to be simply connected, but the reason is pretty silly: | |
we're only going to ever integrate $f$ over $D$, which is an open disk, and hence the disk | |
is simply connected anyways. | |
The presence of $2\pi i$, which you saw earlier in the form $\oint_{\text{circle}} z^{-1} \; dz$, | |
is no accident. | |
In fact, that's the central result we're going to use to prove the result. | |
\begin{proof} | |
There are several proofs out there, but I want to give the one that really | |
draws out the power of Cauchy's theorem. Here's the picture we have: | |
there's a point $a$ sitting inside a circle $\gamma$, | |
and we want to get our hands on the value $f(a)$. | |
\begin{center} | |
\begin{asy} | |
size(3cm); | |
draw(unitcircle, dashed, MidArrow); | |
MP("\gamma", dir(-45), dir(-45)); | |
pair a = 0.1 * dir(60); | |
dot("$a$", a, dir(a)); | |
\end{asy} | |
\end{center} | |
We're going to do a trick: construct a \vocab{keyhole contour} $\Gamma_{\delta, \eps}$ | |
which has an outer circle $\gamma$, plus an inner circle $\ol{\gamma_\eps}$, which is a circle centered | |
at $a$ with radius $\eps$, running clockwise (so that $\gamma_\eps$ runs counterclockwise). | |
The ``width'' of the corridor is $\delta$. See picture: | |
\begin{center} | |
\begin{asy} | |
size(4cm); | |
MP("\gamma", dir(-45), dir(-45)); | |
pair a = 0.1 * dir(60); | |
dot("$a$", a, dir(a)); | |
real delta_outer = 6; | |
real delta_inner = 20; | |
pair P = dir(60+delta_outer); | |
pair Q = dir(60-delta_outer); | |
draw(arc(origin, 1, 60+delta_outer, 360+60-delta_outer), MidArrow); | |
draw(arc(a, 0.3, 60-delta_inner, -360+60+delta_inner), MidArrow); | |
draw(dir(60-delta_outer)--(a+0.3*dir(60-delta_inner)), MidArrow); | |
draw((a+0.3*dir(60+delta_inner))--dir(60+delta_outer), MidArrow); | |
MP("\overline{\gamma_\varepsilon}", a+0.3*dir(225), dir(225)); | |
\end{asy} | |
\end{center} | |
Hence $\Gamma_{\delta,\eps}$ consists of four smooth curves. | |
\begin{ques} | |
Draw a \emph{simply connected} open set $\Omega$ which contains the entire | |
$\Gamma_{\delta,\eps}$ but does not contain the point $a$. | |
\end{ques} | |
The function $\frac{f(z)}{z-a}$ manages to be holomorphic on all of $\Omega$. | |
Thus Cauchy's theorem applies and tells us that | |
\[ | |
0 = \oint_{\Gamma_{\delta,\eps}} \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz. | |
\] | |
As we let $\delta \to 0$, the two walls of the keyhole will cancel each other (because $f$ is continuous, | |
and the walls run in opposite directions). | |
So taking the limit as $\delta \to 0$, we are left with just $\gamma$ and $\gamma_\eps$, | |
which (taking again orientation into account) gives | |
\[ | |
\oint_{\gamma} \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz | |
= - \oint_{\ol{\gamma_\eps}} \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz | |
= \oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz. | |
\] | |
Thus \textbf{we've managed to replace $\gamma$ with a much smaller circle $\gamma_\eps$ centered around $a$}, | |
and the rest is algebra. | |
To compute the last quantity, write | |
\begin{align*} | |
\oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz | |
&= | |
\oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{f(z)-f(a)}{z-a} \; dz | |
+ | |
f(a) \cdot \oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{1}{z-a} \; dz \\ | |
&= | |
\oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{f(z)-f(a)}{z-a} \; dz | |
+ | |
2\pi i f(a). | |
\end{align*} | |
where we've used \Cref{thm:central_cauchy_computation} | |
Thus, all we have to do is show that | |
\[ \oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{f(z)-f(a)}{z-a} \; dz = 0. \] | |
For this we can basically use the weakest bound possible, the so-called $ML$ lemma | |
which I'll cite without proof: | |
it says ``bound the function everywhere by its maximum''. | |
\begin{lemma} | |
[$ML$ estimation lemma] | |
Let $f$ be a holomorphic function and $\alpha$ a path. | |
Suppose $M = \max_{z \text{ on } \alpha} \left\lvert f(z) \right\rvert$, and | |
let $L$ be the length of $\alpha$. | |
Then | |
\[ \left\lvert \oint_\alpha f(z) \; dz \right\rvert \le ML. \] | |
\end{lemma} | |
(This is straightforward to prove if you know the definition of length: | |
$L = \int_a^b |\alpha'(t)| \; dt$, where $\alpha : [a,b] \to \CC$.) | |
Anyways, as $\eps \to 0$, the quantity $\frac{f(z)-f(a)}{z-a}$ approaches $f'(a)$, | |
and so for small enough $\eps$ (i.e.\ $z$ close to $a$) there's some upper bound $M$. | |
Yet the length of $\gamma_\eps$ is the circumference $2\pi \eps$. | |
So the $ML$ lemma says that | |
\[ \left\lvert \oint_{\gamma_\eps} \frac{f(z)-f(a)}{z-a} \right\rvert | |
\le 2\pi\eps \cdot M \to 0 | |
\] | |
as desired. | |
\end{proof} | |
\section{Holomorphic functions are analytic} | |
\prototype{Imagine a formal series $\sum_k c_k x^k$!} | |
In the setup of the previous problem, we have a circle $\gamma : [0,2\pi] \to \CC$ | |
and a holomorphic function $f \colon U \to \CC$ which contains the disk $D$. | |
We can write | |
\begin{align*} | |
f(a) &= \frac{1}{2\pi i} \oint_\gamma \frac{f(z)}{z-a} \; dz \\ | |
&= \frac{1}{2\pi i} \oint_\gamma \frac{f(z)/z}{1 - \frac az} \; dz \\ | |
&= \frac{1}{2\pi i} \oint_\gamma f(z)/z \cdot \sum_{k \ge 0} \left( \frac az \right)^k \; dz \\ | |
\intertext{You can prove (using the so-called Weierstrass M-test) that the summation order can be switched:} | |
f(a) &= \frac{1}{2\pi i} \sum_{k \ge 0} \oint_\gamma \frac{f(z)}{z} \cdot \left( \frac az \right)^k \; dz \\ | |
&= \frac{1}{2\pi i} \sum_{k \ge 0} \oint_\gamma a^k \cdot \frac{f(z)}{z^{k+1}} \; dz \\ | |
&= \sum_{k \ge 0} \left( \frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_\gamma \frac{f(z)}{z^{k+1}} \; dz \right) a^k. \\ | |
\intertext{Letting | |
$c_k = \frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_\gamma \frac{f(z)}{z^{k+1}} \; dz$, | |
and noting this is independent of $a$, this is} | |
f(a) &= \sum_{k \ge 0} c_k a^k | |
\end{align*} | |
and that's the miracle: holomorphic functions | |
are given by a \vocab{Taylor series}! | |
This is one of the biggest results in complex analysis. | |
Moreover, if one is willing to believe that we can | |
take the derivative $k$ times, we obtain | |
\[ c_k = \frac{f^{(k)}(0)}{k!} \] | |
and this gives us $f^{(k)}(0) = k! \cdot c_k$. | |
Naturally, we can do this with any circle (not just one centered at zero). | |
So let's state the full result below, with arbitrary center $p$. | |
\begin{theorem} | |
[Cauchy's differentiation formula] | |
Let $f : U \to \CC$ be a holomorphic function and let $D$ be a disk centered at point $p$ | |
bounded by a circle $\gamma$. Suppose $D$ is contained inside $U$. | |
Then $f$ is given everywhere in $D$ by a Taylor series | |
\[ | |
f(z) = c_0 + c_1(z-p) + c_2(z-p)^2 + \dots | |
\] | |
where | |
\[ | |
c_k = \frac{f^{k}(p)}{k!} = \frac{1}{2\pi i} \oint_\gamma \frac{f(w-p)}{(w-p)^{k+1}} \; dw | |
\] | |
In particular, | |
\[ f^{(k)}(p) = k! c_k = \frac{k!}{2\pi i} \oint_\gamma \frac{f(w-p)}{(w-p)^{k+1}} \; dw. \] | |
\end{theorem} | |
Most importantly, | |
\begin{moral} | |
Over any disk, | |
a holomorphic function is given | |
exactly by a Taylor series. | |
\end{moral} | |
This establishes a result we stated at the beginning of the chapter: | |
that a function being complex differentiable once means it is not only infinitely differentiable, | |
but in fact equal to its Taylor series. | |
I should maybe emphasize a small subtlety of the result: | |
the Taylor series centered at $p$ is only valid in a disk centered at $p$ which lies entirely in the domain $U$. | |
If $U = \CC$ this is no issue, since you can make the disk big enough to accommodate any point you want. | |
It's more subtle in the case that $U$ is, for example, a square; you can't cover the entire square | |
with a disk centered at some point without going outside the square. | |
However, since $U$ is open we can at any rate at least find some | |
open neighborhood for which the Taylor | |
series is correct -- in stark contrast to the real case. | |
Indeed, as you'll see in the problems, | |
the existence of a Taylor series is incredibly powerful. | |
\section\problemhead | |
These aren't olympiad problems, but I think they're especially nice! | |
In the next complex analysis chapter we'll see some more nice applications. | |
The first few results are the most important. | |
\begin{sproblem} | |
[Liouville's theorem] | |
\gim | |
Let $f : \CC \to \CC$ be an entire function. | |
Suppose that $\left\lvert f(z) \right\rvert < 1000$ for all complex numbers $z$. | |
Prove that $f$ is a constant function. | |
\begin{hint} | |
Look at the Taylor series of $f$, | |
and use Cauchy's differentiation formula to | |
show that each of the larger coefficients must be zero. | |
\end{hint} | |
% \footnote{% | |
% It's true more generally that if | |
% $\left\lvert f(z) \right\rvert < A+B\left\lvert z \right\rvert^n$ | |
% for some constants $A$ and $B$, | |
% then $f$ is a polynomial of degree at most $n$. | |
% The proof is induction on $n$ with the case $n=0$ being the theorem.} | |
\end{sproblem} | |
\begin{sproblem}[Zeros are isolated] | |
An \vocab{isolated set} in the complex plane is a | |
set of points $S$ such that around each point in $S$, | |
one can draw an open neighborhood not intersecting any other point of $S$. | |
Show that the zero set of any nonzero holomorphic | |
function $f : U \to \CC$ is an isolated set, | |
unless there exists a nonempty open subset of $U$ | |
on which $f$ is identically zero. | |
\begin{hint} | |
Proceed by contradiction, | |
meaning there exists a sequence $z_1, z_2, \dots \to z$ | |
where $0 = f(z_1) = f(z_2) = \dots$ all distinct. | |
Prove that $f = 0$ on an open neighborhood of $z$ | |
by looking at the Taylor series of $f$ and | |
pulling out factors of $z$. | |
\end{hint} | |
\begin{sol} | |
Proceed by contradiction, meaning there exists a sequence $z_1, z_2, \dots \to z$ | |
where $0 = f(z_1) = f(z_2) = \dots$ all distinct. | |
WLOG set $z=0$. | |
Look at the Taylor series of $f$ around $z=0$. | |
Since it isn't uniformly zero by assumption, | |
write it as $a_N z^N + a_{N+1}z^{N+1} + \dots$, $a_N \neq 0$. | |
But by continuity of $h(z) = a_N + a_{N+1}z + \dots$ there is some | |
open neighborhood of zero where $h(z) \neq 0$. | |
\end{sol} | |
\end{sproblem} | |
\begin{sproblem} | |
[Identity theorem] | |
\gim | |
Let $f, g : U \to \CC$ be holomorphic, and assume that $U$ is connected. | |
Prove that if $f$ and $g$ agree on some open neighborhood, | |
then $f = g$. | |
\begin{hint} | |
Take the interior of the agreeing points; | |
show that this set is closed, which implies the conclusion. | |
\end{hint} | |
\begin{sol} | |
Let $S$ be the interior of the points satisfying $f=g$. | |
By definition $S$ is open. | |
By the previous part, $S$ is closed: if $z_i \to z$ and $z_i \in S$, | |
then $f=g$ in some open neighborhood of $z$, hence $z \in S$. | |
Since $S$ is clopen and nonempty, $S = U$. | |
\end{sol} | |
\end{sproblem} | |
%\begin{dproblem} | |
% [Mean Value Property] | |
% Let $f : U \to \CC$ be holomorphic. | |
% Assume that $z_0 \in U$ and the disk centered at $z_0$ | |
% with radius $r > 0$ is contained inside $U$. Show that | |
% \[ f(z_0) = \frac{1}{2\pi} \int_0^{2\pi} f(z_0+re^{it}) \; dt. \] | |
% In other words, $f(z_0)$ is the average of $f$ along the circle. | |
% \begin{hint} | |
% Evaluate $\oint_\gamma \frac{f(w)}{w-z_0} \; dw$ over the circle. | |
% \end{hint} | |
%\end{dproblem} | |
\begin{dproblem}[Maximums Occur On Boundaries] | |
Let $f : U \to \CC$ be holomorphic, let $Y \subseteq U$ be compact, | |
and let $\partial Y$ be boundary\footnote{ | |
The boundary $\partial Y$ is the set of points $p$ | |
such that no open neighborhood of $p$ is contained in $Y$. | |
It is also a compact set if $Y$ is compact. | |
} of $Y$. | |
Show that | |
\[ \max_{z \in Y} \left\lvert f(z) \right\rvert | |
= \max_{z \in \partial Y} \left\lvert f(z) \right\rvert. \] | |
In other words, the maximum values of $\left\lvert f \right\rvert$ occur | |
on the boundary. (Such maximums exist by compactness.) | |
\end{dproblem} | |
\begin{problem} | |
[Harvard quals] | |
Let $f : \CC \to \CC$ be a nonconstant entire function. | |
Prove that $f\im(\CC)$ is dense in $\CC$. | |
(In fact, a much stronger result is true: | |
Little Picard's theorem says that the image of a nonconstant | |
entire function omits at most one point.) | |
\begin{hint} | |
Liouville. Look at $\frac{1}{f(z)-w}$. | |
\end{hint} | |
\begin{sol} | |
Suppose we want to show that there's a point | |
in the image within $\eps$ of a given a point $w \in \CC$. | |
Look at $\frac{1}{f(z) - w}$ and use Liouville's theorem. | |
\end{sol} | |
\end{problem} | |
%\begin{dproblem} | |
% [Liouiville's theorem extended] | |
% Let $f : \CC \to \CC$ be entire. | |
% \begin{enumerate}[(a)] | |
% \ii Show that if $\left\lvert f(z) \right\rvert < C \left\lvert z \right\rvert^{1000}$ | |
% for some constant $C$, then $f$ is a polynomial of degree at most $1000$. | |
% \ii Show that the image $f\im(\CC)$ is dense in $\CC$, | |
% unless $f$ is constant. | |
% \end{enumerate} | |
% \begin{hint} | |
% Part (a) is the same proof of the original Louiville's theorem. | |
% | |
% For part (b), assume it's not dense and misses a circle at $w$ | |
% with radius $\eps$. Look at $\frac{1}{f(z)-w}$ and show it's bounded. | |
% \end{hint} | |
%\end{dproblem} | |
%\begin{problem} | |
% Show that a nonzero entire function can have at most countably many zeros, | |
% and give an example where equality occurs. | |
% \begin{hint} | |
% Assume there are uncountably many zeros | |
% and do a pigeonhole style argument to force them to | |
% accumulate at some point. | |
% Then apply the identity theorem. | |
% Equality occurs at $\sin(z)$. | |
% \end{hint} | |
%\end{problem} | |