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25.1 Contour Integrals

This document provides an overview of contour integrals in complex analysis. It defines a contour integral as the integral of a complex-valued function f along a contour C that is parametrized by z(t). The document then notes several key properties of contour integrals, including that: 1) contour integrals are linear, 2) the integral along C1 + C2 is the sum of the integrals along C1 and C2, and 3) the integral along -C is the negative of the integral along C. It concludes by providing examples that illustrate how to evaluate contour integrals and how the value can depend on the contour chosen.

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Chernet Tuge
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39 views

25.1 Contour Integrals

This document provides an overview of contour integrals in complex analysis. It defines a contour integral as the integral of a complex-valued function f along a contour C that is parametrized by z(t). The document then notes several key properties of contour integrals, including that: 1) contour integrals are linear, 2) the integral along C1 + C2 is the sum of the integrals along C1 and C2, and 3) the integral along -C is the negative of the integral along C. It concludes by providing examples that illustrate how to evaluate contour integrals and how the value can depend on the contour chosen.

Uploaded by

Chernet Tuge
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 25:

Contour Integrals
Dan Sloughter
Furman University
Mathematics 39
April 20, 2004

25.1

Contour integrals

Definition 25.1. Suppose z(t), a t b, parametrizes a contour C and f


is complex-valued function for which f (z(t)) is piecewise continuous on [a, b].
We call
Z
Z b
f (z)dz =
f (z(t))z 0 (t)dt
C

the contour integral of f along C.


Example 25.1. We will evaluate
Z

z 2 dz

where C is parametrized by z(t) = eit , 0 t . We have


Z
Z
2
z dz =
ei2t (ieit )dt
C
0
Z

=i
e3it dt
0

1 3it
= e
3
0
1
= (1 1)
3
2
= .
3
1

From our earlier discussion of integrals, it follows easily that if c C is a


constant and f and g are complex-valued functions, then
Z
Z
cf (z)dz = c f (z)dz
C

and

Z
(f (z) + g(z))dz =

Z
f (z)dz +

g(z)dz.
C

Also, if C1 and C2 are two contours with the terminal point of C1 the same
as the initial point of C2 , and we let C denote the contour formed by C1 and
C2 together, then
Z
Z
Z
f (z)dz =
f (z)dz +
f (z)dz.
C

C1

C2

We may denote C by C1 + C2 , in which case we write


Z
Z
Z
f (z)dz =
f (z)dz +
f (z)dz.
C1 +C2

C1

C2

Note that if z(t), a t b, parametrizes C, then


w(t) = z(t), b t a,
parametrizes C with the opposite orientation. We denote this contour by
C. It follows that, using the substitution s = t,
Z a
Z
f (w(t))w0 (t)dt
f (z)dz =
C
b
Z a
f (z(t))z 0 (t)dt
=
Z a b
=
f (z(s)z 0 (s)ds
b
Z b
f (z(s))z 0 (s)ds
=
Za
= f (z)dz.
C

Note that if C1 and C2 have the same terminal point, then the terminal point
of C1 is the same as the initial point of C2 . Hence we may consider the
contour C1 + (C1 ), which we, of course, denote C1 C2 . We have
Z
Z
Z
f (z)dz =
f (z)dz
f (z)dz.
C1 C2

25.2

C1

C2

Examples

Example 25.2. Let f (x + iy) = xy + i(x + y) and let C be the triangle


with vertices at (0, 0),R (1, 0) and (1, 1), oriented in the counterclockwise direction. To evaluate C f (z)dz, we will write C as C1 + C2 C3 , where C1
has parametrization
z = x, 0 x 1,
C2 has parametrization
z = 1 + iy, 0 y 1,
and C3 has parametrization
z = x + ix, 0 x 1.
Then
Z

Z
f (z)dz =

C1

Z
f (z)dz =

C2

1
ixdx = i ,
2

3
1
(y + i(1 + y))idy = + i ,
2
2

and
Z

Z
f (z)dz =

C3

(x + i2x)(1 + i)dx =
0


1
2
4
+ i (1 + i) = + i .
3
3
3

Hence
Z

Z
f (z)dz =

Z
f (z)dz

f (z)dz +
C1

C2

1 3
1 2
4
=i +i + i
2 2
2 3
3
5 1
= i.
6 3
3

f (z)dz
C3

Note that
Z

1 3
1
3
f (z)dz = i + i = + i 6=
2 2
2
2
C1 +C2

Z
f (z)dz,
C3

even though C1 + C2 and C3 have the same initial and final points. Hence,
although the value of a contour integral does not depend on the specific
parametrization of a a given arc (see the homework), it may depend on the
curve chosen to get from the intitial point to the final point.
Example 25.3. Let C, with parametrization z(t), a t b, be a smooth
arc and let z1 = z(a) and z2 = z(b). Then
Z
Z b
2
z dz =
(z(t))2 z 0 (t)dt
C
a
b
z(t)3
=

3
a

z 3 z13
= 2
.
3
Note that this means that this contour integral is independent of the particular curve starting at z1 and ending at z2 . For example, for any curve C
starting at z1 = 1 and ending at z2 = 1, we have
Z
(1)3 13
2
z 2 dz =
= .
3
3
C
Recall that this is the result we obtained in our first example for the particular
arc z = eit , 0 t . This result will also hold for any contour C. Moreover,
it follows that if C is a closed contour, then
Z
z 2 dz = 0.
C

Example 25.4. Let C be the unit circle with parametrization z = eit . Then
Z
Z 2
Z 2
1
it
it
dz =
e (ie )dt =
idt = 2i.
C z
0
0
Does this contradict our observations in the previous example and the fact
that
d
1
log(z) = ?
dz
z
4

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