Evaluating Integrals with Complex Analysis

Evaluating Integrals with Complex Analysis

Complex analysis is a fascinating field of mathematics that deals with complex variables and functions. One of the powerful tools in this field is the Cauchy Integral Formula, which is used to evaluate complex integrals. This article will guide you through an example where we use this method to find the value of a specific integral.

Understanding the Integrand and Contour

Consider the integral of the form (displaystyle int_C frac{sin{z}}{z^2 - 1} , dz), where (C) is a circular contour in the complex plane. The integrand, (frac{sin{z}}{z^2 - 1}), has singularities where the denominator is equal to zero. That is, when (z^2 - 1 0), we solve for (z) and get (z pm i).

Singularities and Contour Considerations

To determine which singularity lies inside the given circular contour, we need to check the position of (z -i) and (z i) relative to the contour. In this case, only (z -i) is inside the circular contour.

The Cauchy Integral Formula

The Cauchy Integral Formula is a fundamental theorem in complex analysis. It states that if a function is analytic inside and on a simple closed contour (C) and (z_0) is a point inside (C), then the integral of the function around (C) can be evaluated as:

[int_C frac{f(z)}{z - z_0} , dz 2pi i f(z_0)]

Applying the Cauchy Integral Formula

For our given integral, we rewrite the integrand as follows:

[int_C frac{sin{z}}{z^2 - 1} , dz int_C frac{frac{sin{z}}{z - i}}{z i} , dz]

Now, we can apply the Cauchy Integral Formula directly with (z_0 -i).

Substituting (z_0 -i) into the formula, we get:

[int_C frac{frac{sin{z}}{z - i}}{z i} , dz 2pi i cdot frac{sin{z}}{z - i} Big|_{z -i}]

The value of the function at (z -i) is:

[frac{sin{(-i)}}{-i - i} frac{-i sin{1}}{-2i} frac{sin{1}}{2}]

Therefore, the integral evaluates to:

[int_C frac{sin{z}}{z^2 - 1} , dz 2pi i cdot frac{sin{1}}{2} pi i sin{1}]

Conclusion

In this example, we successfully used the Cauchy Integral Formula to evaluate a complex integral. The key steps were identifying the singularities, determining which one lies inside the contour, and applying the formula correctly. This method is widely applicable in complex analysis and is essential for solving various problems in this field.

Related Keywords

Cauchy Integral Formula Complex Contour Integration Singularities

Additional Resources

If you find this topic interesting and want to explore more, you might find the following resources useful:

A detailed textbook on complex analysis Online tutorials and lectures on complex functions Interactive tools for visualizing complex integrals