Complex series

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X
X
cn is absolutely convergent if
|cn | < 1.
n=1

Lecture 21: Complex series in general and

power series in particular

Let cn = an + ibn (an , bn 2 R). Since

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: semester 1, 2016

max{|an |, |bn |} |cn | |an | + |bn |,

a complex series is absolutely convergent if & only if

both related real series are absolutely convergent.
an absolutely convergent complex series is
necessarily convergent;
absolutely convergent complex series can be
permuted without changing their sum;
abs. convergent complex series can be multiplied
in the same way as abs. convergent real series.

Professor Barry Hughes

barrydh@unimelb.edu.au
School of Mathematics and Statistics,
University of Melbourne

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Complex series

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Where cn 2 C if the sequence of partial sums

sm =

m
X

n=1

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

Uniformly convergent complex series

1
X

n=1

Fn (z)

n=0

converges as m ! 1 we denote the value of the

limit of sm by
1
X
cn
n=1

1
X

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Definition. We say that the series of functions

cn

and say that the infinite series

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

converges uniformly on a set S if the sequence of

partial sums
m
X
Fn (z)
n=1

cn converges.

n=1

converges uniformly on S.

If a series does not converge, we say it diverges.

The following results follow immediately from results

proved about uniformly convergent sequences.

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Complex series

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1
X

Lemma. If

cn converges, then limn!1 cn = 0.

n=1

Theorem.

1
X

. . . Copy down the proof.

cn converges if any only if, given

n=1

> 0 9 N such that

m
X

cn < whenever m

k > N.

n=k

. . . cf. Cauchy criterion for sequences. Copy proof.

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Complex series

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P1

P1

For constant &

P, if both of n=1 un and n=1 vn
converge, then 1
n=1 ( un + vn ) converges and
1
X

( un + vn ) =

n=1

1
X

un +

n=1

1
X

vn .

n=1

If we write cn = an + ibn we can relate the complex

series to two real series:
1
1
1
X
X
X
cn =
an + i
bn .
n=1

n=1

n=1

P1

Lemma. n=1 cn converges

if P
and only if both the
P
1
associated real series 1
n=1 an ,
n=1 bn converge.
MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Uniformly convergent complex series

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P
1. If F (z) = 1
n=1 Fn (z), where the series
converges uniformly on a set S and 8 n 2 N the
function Fn (z) is continuous on S, then F (z) is
also continuous on S.
P
2. If F (z) = 1
n=1 Fn (z) and the series converges
uniformly on a contour C and 8 n 2 N the
function Fn (z) is continuous on C , then

1
X
F (z)dz =
Fn (z)dz.
C

n=1

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Uniformly convergent complex series

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3. Weierstrasss
double-series theorem.
P
If F (z) = 1
F
n=1 n (z) and the series converges
uniformly on all compact subsets of a domain
and 8 n 2 N the function Fn (z) is holomorphic
in , then F (z) is also holomorphic in and
F 0 (z) =

1
X

Fn0 (z),

n=1

P
0
where 1
n=1 Fn (z) converges uniformly on all
compact subsets of .
MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Uniformly convergent complex series

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P1

4. The series n=1 Fn (z) converges uniformly on S

if and only if, given > 0 there exists N
(independent of z) such that
Fn (z) < whenever m

z1
z0

what happens outside circle unknown

at other points on circle series may
converge absolutely
converge conditionally
diverge

k > N.

How do we prove uniform convergence?

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Uniformly convergent complex series

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) 9 N such that
)

m
X
n=k

Fn (z)

n=1

Mn < whenever m

n=k
m
X
n=k

Fn (z)

m
X

k > N.

k >N

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

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Definition. If cn independent of z,
z0 )n

cn (z

n=0

n!

n=0

z0 )n

(z

when |z

1
X
n=0

Illustrations of R and a big result

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X
summand doesnt decay
R=0
n!z n
to 0 as n ! 1 if z 6= 0
n=0
X
R=1
nz n
clear from ratio test
X zn
n=0

clear from ratio test

n!

P1
Let P
z0 )n have radius of convergence R.
n=0 cn (z
1
Then n=0 cn (z z0 )n converges uniformly and
absolutely in |z z0 | < R.

z0 | < R.

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Complex power series: recycling a proof

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1
X
Suppose that
cn (z z0 )n converges for z = z1 .

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

. . . Copy down the proof of uniform convergence

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

Then cn (z1

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

R=1

We have met power series in complex analysis when

we proved Taylors Theorem: if f is holomorphic in
D(z0 , R) then
1
X
f (n) (z0 )

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n=0

is called a power series centred on z0 .

f (z) =

Complex power series

Every power series has a radius of convergence R

(which may be 0, nonzero, or 1)

n=k

Complex power series

1
X

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

what happens inside is unknown

Mn < if m

) uniform Cauchy criterion for Fn (z), as required.

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

P
If the complex power series 1
z0 )n
n=0 cn (z
diverges for z = z1 , then it necessarily diverges
whenever |z z0 | > |z1 z0 |.
1
X
divergence of
cn (z z0 )n
z1
is given here n=0
1
X
z0
divergence of
cn (z z0 )n outside
circle follows n=0

The Weierstrass M Test If |Fn (z)| MnP

for all
z 2 S, where MnPis independent of z, and 1
n=1 Mn
converges, then 1
F
(z)
converges
uniformly
on
n=1 n
the set S.
1
X
Proof. Let > 0 be given. We know
Mn converges
m
X

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1
X
convergence of
cn (z z0 )n
is given here n=0
1
X
convergence of
cn (z z0 )n inside
circle follows n=0

n=k

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

P1

Theorem If the power series n=0 cn (z z0 )n

converges for z = z1 it converges absolutely in
the disc |z z0 | < |z1 z0 |.

The next result translates the uniform Cauchy

criterion for uniformly convergent sequences into
the related result for series.

m
X

Complex power series

n=0

z0 )n ! 0 as n ! 1 so 8n we have

|cn (z1

z0 )n | < K

|cn (z

z0 )n | =

for some K

1
X
n=0

1
X

|cn (z1

K
z
1
n=0

z0 )n |

z
z1

z0
z0

z0 n
.
z0

If |z z0 | < |z1 z0 | the right-hand side is a

convergent geometric series!
MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular

Complex power series

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Because summand cn (z z0 )n is holomorphic,
uniform convergence for |z z0 | < R ensures
by the Weierstrass double series theorem that
1
n is holomorphic
X
f (z) =
cn (z z0 )n
in |z z0 | < R
n=0
1
n converges uniformly
X
f 0 (z) =
ncn (z z0 )n 1
for |z z0 | < R
n=0

f (k) (z) =

1
X
n=0

n(n

1) (n

k + 1)cn (z

z0 )n

f (k) (z0 )
k!
) Taylor series is unique power series representation
) f (k) (z0 ) = k!ck ) ck =

MAST30021 Complex Analysis: c BD Hughes 2016

21: Complex series in general and power series in particular