The Cauchy integral formulas given in Section 6.5 are useful in evaluating contour integrals over a simple closed contour \(C\) where the integrand has the form \(\frac{f(z)}{(z-z_0)^k}\) and \(f\) is an analytic function. In this case, the singularity of the integrand is at worst a pole of order \(k\) at \(z_0\text{.}\) We begin this section by extending this result to integrals that have a finite number of isolated singularities inside the contour \(C\text{.}\) This new method can be used in cases where the integrand has an essential singularity at \(z_0\) and is an important extension of the previous method.
Definition8.1.1.Residue.
Let \(f\) have a nonremovable isolated singularity at the point \(z_0\text{.}\) Then \(f\) has the Laurent series representation for all \(z\) in some disk \(D_{R}^*(z_0)\) given by \(f(z) = \sum\limits_{n=-\infty}^{\infty}a_n(z-z_0)^n\text{.}\) The coefficient \(a_{-1}\) is called the residue of \(f\) at \(z_0\). We use the notation
Find \(\mathrm{Res}[g,0]\) if \(g(z)=\frac{3}{2z+z^2-z^3}\text{.}\)
Solution.
Using the techniques of Example 7.3.9, we find that \(g\) has three Laurent series representations involving powers of \(z\text{.}\) In the punctured disk \(D_1^*(0)\text{,}\)\(g(z) = \sum\limits_{n=0}^{\infty}[(-1)^n+\frac{1}{2^{n+1}}]z^{n-1}\text{.}\) Computing the first few coefficients, we obtain
Recall that, for a function \(f\) analytic in \(D_{R}^*(z_0)\) and for any \(r\) with \(0\lt r\lt R\text{,}\) the Laurent series coefficients of \(f\) are given by
where \(C_{r}^{+}(z_0)\) denotes the circle \(\{z:|z-z_0| =r\}\) with positive orientation. This result gives us an important fact concerning \(\mathrm{Res}[f,z_0]\text{.}\) If we set \(n=-1\) in Equation (8.1.1) and replace \(C_{r}^{+}(z_0)\) with any positively oriented simple closed contour \(C\) containing \(z_0\text{,}\) provided \(z_0\) is the still only singularity of \(f\) that lies inside \(C\text{,}\) then we obtain
If we are able to find the Laurent series expansion for \(f\text{,}\) then Equation (8.1.2) gives us an important tool for evaluating contour integrals.
Example 8.1.2 showed that the residue of \(f(z) = \exp\left(\frac{2}{z}\right)\) at \(z_0=0\) is \(\mathrm{Res}[f,0] =2\text{.}\) Using Equation (8.1.2), we get
\begin{equation*}
\int\limits_{C_1^{+}(0)}\exp\left(\frac{2}{z}\right)dz = 2\pi i\mathrm{Res}[f,0] =4\pi i
\end{equation*}
Theorem8.1.5.Cauchy ’s residue theorem.
Let \(D\) be a simply connected domain and let \(C\) be a simple closed positively oriented contour that lies in \(D\text{.}\) If \(f\) is analytic inside \(C\) and on \(C\text{,}\) except at the points \(z_1, \, z_2, \ldots , z_n\) that lie inside \(C\text{,}\) then
Figure8.1.6.The domain \(D\) and contour \(C\) and the singular points \(z_1, \ z_2, \ \ldots, \ z_n\) in the statement of Cauchy ’s residue theorem
Proof.
Since there are a finite number of singular points inside \(C\text{,}\) there exists an \(r>0\) such that the positively oriented circles \(C_k=C_{r}^{+}(z_k)\text{,}\) for \(k=1,2,\ldots,n\text{,}\) are mutually disjoint and all lie inside \(C\text{.}\) From the extended Cauchy-Goursat theorem (Theorem 6.3.18 on page 6.3.18), it follows that
The function \(f\) is analytic in a punctured disk with center \(z_k\) that contains the circle \(C_k\text{,}\) so we can use Equation (8.1.2) to obtain
\begin{equation*}
\int\limits_{C_k}f(z)\,dz=2\pi i\mathrm{Res}[f,z_k], \text{ for } k=1,2,\ldots ,n\text{.}
\end{equation*}
Combining the last two equations gives the desired result.
The domain \(D\) and contour \(C\) and the singular points \(z_1, \, z_2, \, \ldots, \, z_n\) in the statement of Cauchy ’s residue theorem.
The calculation of a Laurent series expansion is tedious in most circumstances. As the residue at \(z_0\) involves only the coefficient \(a_{-1}\) in the Laurent expansion, we seek a method to calculate the residue from special information about the nature of the singularity at \(z_0\text{.}\)
If \(f\) has a removable singularity at \(z_0\text{,}\) then \(a_{-n}=0\text{,}\) for \(n=1,2,\ldots\text{.}\) Therefore, \(\mathrm{Res}[f,z_0] =0\text{.}\) The following theorem gives methods for evaluating residues at poles.
Theorem8.1.7.Residues at Poles.
i.
If \(f\) has a simple pole at \(z_0\text{,}\) then
which establishes part (i). We proceed to part (iii), as part (ii) is a special case of it. Suppose that \(f\) has a pole of order \(k\) at \(z_0\text{.}\) Then \(f\) can be written as
Find the residue of \(f(z) =\frac{\pi \cot (\pi z)}{z^2}\) at \(z_0=0\text{.}\)
Solution.
We write \(f(z) =\frac{\pi \cos (\pi z)}{z^2\sin (\pi z)}\text{.}\) Because \(z^2\sin \pi z\) has a zero of order \(3\) at \(z_0=0\) and \(\pi \cos (\pi z_0) \ne 0\text{,}\)\(f\) has a pole of order \(3\) at \(z_0\text{.}\) By part (iii) of Theorem 8.2, we have
We write the integrand as \(f(z) =\frac{1}{z^2(z+2)(z-1)}\text{.}\) The singularities of \(f\) that lie inside \(C_3(0)\) are simple poles at the points \(1\) and \(-2\text{,}\) and a pole of order \(2\) at the origin. We compute the residues as follows:
The singularities of the integrand \(f(z) =\displaystyle\frac{1}{z^4+4}\) that lie inside \(C_2(1)\) are simple poles occurring at the points \(1\pm i\text{,}\) as the points \(-1\pm i\) lie outside \(C_2(1)\text{.}\) Factoring the denominator is tedious, so we use a different approach. If \(z_0\) is any one of the singularities of \(f\text{,}\) then we can use L’Hôpital’s rule to compute \(\mathrm{Res}[f,z_0]\text{:}\)
. Since \(z_0^4=-4\text{,}\) we can simplify this expression further to yield \(\mathrm{Res}[f,z_0] = -\frac{1}{16}z_0\text{.}\) Hence \(\mathrm{Res}[f,1+i] = \frac{-1-i}{16}\text{,}\) and \(\mathrm{Res}[f,1-i] =\frac{-1+i}{16}\text{.}\) We now use the residue theorem to get
Let \(f\) and \(g\) be analytic at \(z_0\text{.}\) If \(f(z_0) \ne 0\) and \(g\) has a simple zero at \(z_0\text{,}\) then show that \(\mathrm{Res}\left[\frac{f}{g},z_0\right] = \frac{f(z_0)}{g'(z_0)}\text{.}\)
5.
Find \(\int\limits_{C}(z-1)^{-2}(z^2+4)^{-1}\,dz\) when
(a)
\(C=C_1^{+}(1)\text{.}\)
Solution.
\(-\frac{4\pi i}{25}\text{.}\)
(b)
\(C=C_4^{+}(0)\text{.}\)
6.
Find \(\int\limits_{C}(z^{6}+1)^{-1}dz\) when
(a)
\(C=C_{\frac{1}{2}}^{+}(i)\text{.}\)
(b)
\(C=C_1^{+}(\frac{1+i}{2})\text{.}\)
\hint{If \(z_0\) is a singularity of \(f(z) =\frac{1}{z^{6}+1}\text{,}\) show that \(\mathrm{Res}[f,z_0] = -\frac{1}{6}z_0\text{.}\)}
7.
Find \(\int\limits_{C}(3z^4+10z^2+3)^{-1}\,dz\) when
(a)
\(C=C_1^{+}(i\sqrt{3})\text{.}\)
Solution.
\(-\frac{\pi \sqrt{3}}{24}\text{.}\)
(b)
\(C=C_1^{+}(\frac{i}{\sqrt{3}})\text{.}\)
8.
Find \(\int\limits_{C}(z^4-z^3-2z^2)^{-1}dz\) when
(a)
\(C=C_{\frac{1}{2}}^{+}(0)\text{.}\)
(b)
\(C=C_{\frac{3}{2}}^{+}(0)\text{.}\)
9.
Use residues to find the partial fraction representations of: \label {8.1.9}
Let \(f\) be analytic in a simply connected domain \(D\text{,}\) and let \(C\) be a simple closed positively oriented contour in \(D\text{.}\) If \(z_0\) is the only zero of \(f\) in \(D\) and \(z_0\) lies interior to \(C\text{,}\) then show that \(\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int\limits_{C}\frac{f\,'(z)}{f(z)}\,dz = k\text{,}\) where \(k\) is the order of the zero at \(z_0\text{.}\)
11.
Let \(f\) be analytic at the points \(0,\pm 1,\pm 2,\ldots\) . If \(g(z) = \pi f(z) \cot \pi z\text{,}\) then show that \(\mathrm{Res}[g,n] = f(n)\) for \(n=0, \, \pm 1, \, \pm 2, \, \ldots\) .
Solution.
By Theorem 8.1.7 we have \(\mathrm{Res}[g, \, n] = \lim\limits_{z \to n}(z-n)g(z)\text{,}\) where \(n\) is any integer. Since \(g(z) =\pi f(z) \cot \pi z = \pi f(z)\frac{\cos(\pi z)}{\sin(\pi z)}\text{,}\) and because \(f\text{,}\) is analytic at \(n\text{,}\) we use L’Hôpital’s rule to get \(\lim\limits_{z \to n}\frac{z-n}{\sin (\pi z) }=1\text{.}\) Explain how this gives the result.