Complex Variables 4.

3 Contour Integration and Greens

Theorem
DEFINITION (Simple Closed Contour) A simple closed contour is a contour that
creates two domains, a bounded one and an unbounded one; each domain has
the contour for its boundary. The bounded domain is said to be the interior of the
contour.
The integration is said to be performed in the positive sense around the contour if
the interior of the contour is on our left as we move along the contour in the
direction of integration.

Positive direction

Negative direction

In general

Complex Variables
THEOREM 1 (Green's Theorem in the Plane) Let P(x, y) and Q(x, y) and their
first partial derivatives be continuous functions throughout a region R
consisting of the interior of a simple closed contour C plus the points on C.
Then

Proof (for a simple closed contour C)

Lets consider a contour when: A straight line parallel to y or x axis intersects C at
two points at most.
Consider:

P
dxdy
y

b
y g ( x ) P
y g ( x)

dy dx Px, y y f ( x ) dx
x a y f ( x ) y
a

x b

Px, f ( x) Px, g ( x) dx Px, f ( x) dx Px, g ( x) dx

b

So:
2

Complex Variables
Similarly

x dxdy
R

Qn( y), y Qm( y), y dy Qn( y), y dy Qm( y), y dy

Qx, y dy
C

Finally:
For a complex function f ( z) u( x, y) iv( x, y) analytic in R with continuous derivatives
u u v v
; ; ;
x y x y

are also continuous in R

The integral:
If we take for the first integral: P = u and Q = -v and for the second: P = v and Q = u
The Greens theorem offers:
3

Complex Variables
For the analytic function (CRE):
u v

x y
v
u

y
x

THEOREM 2 (Cauchy-Goursat) Let C be a simple closed contour and let f(z) be a

function that is analytic in the interior of C as well as on C itself. Then

(the direction of integration is immaterial)

An alternative statement:
Let f(z) be analytic in a simply connected domain D. Then, for any simple closed
contour C in D, we have

Converse statement is also true.

Complex Variables
For any entire function and any simple closed contour
0

Consider: f(z)=zn n = 0, 1, 2 ,3,.. for a simple closed contour

If n is negative integer, we should exclude z = 0 form the closed region, then

Verification: For a contour: |z| = r: z = f() = rei ; dz/d = iz and

When n 0

For n < 0: n = -2,-3,-4, we still have

5

Complex Variables
If n = -1 ?

So:

And for any complex constant z0

EXAMPLE 1 The Cauchy-Goursat theorem asserts that

equals zero when C
is the triangular contour shown in Fig. Verify this result by direct computation.
Solution.

In total

=0
6

Complex Variables
THEOREM 3 (Deformation of Contours) Consider two simple closed contours C1
and C2 such that all the points of C2 lie interior to C1. If a function f(z) is analytic not
only on C1 and C2 but all points of the doubly connected domain D whose
boundaries are C1 and C2, then

Two contours C1 and C2

Two simple contours CU and CL

The Cauchy-Goursat theorem:

and taking into account a-b (d-e) and b-a (e-d) integrals

or
cancellations:

Complex Variables
The Deformation of Contours remains valid even when the C1 and C2 are intersecting
THEOREM 4 The line integrals of an analytic function f(z) around each of two simple
closed contours will be identical in value if one contour can be continuously deformed
into the other without passing through any singularity of f(z).
Observe that (Theorem 3)
and
which leads to

EXAMPLE 2 What is the value of

, where the contour C is the square shown
in Fig.
Solution. Around the circle contour the integral = 2 i

So:
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Complex Variables
EXAMPLE 3 Let f(z) = cos z/(z2 + 1). The contours C1, C2 , C3 , C4 are illustrated in Fig.
Explain why the following equations are valid:

Solution. a) The function is analytic except z = i

So (Theorem 4):

and

But ! No conclusion that