Help with an irregular integral

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In summary: I'm not sure how to get there.In summary, the person is looking for help with doing the integral \frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{1}^{\infty}\ln\left(\frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}} \right )\frac{dx}{x\left(\ln x+z\right)}\;\;\;\;z\in \mathbb{C}+, but is having trouble with the limit.
  • #1
mmzaj
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I am looking for help with doing the following integral :
[tex]\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{1}^{\infty}\ln\left(\frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}} \right )\frac{dx}{x\left(\ln x+z\right)}\;\;\;\;z\in \mathbb{C}[/tex]
i tried to transform it into a complex integral along a 'keyhole' contour, with a branch cut along the +ive real line [itex]\left[1,\infty\right)[/itex]. but then [itex]\;\ln x\;[/itex] would be transformed into [itex]\;\ln x+2\pi i\;[/itex] when doing the integral along [itex]\left(\infty,1\right]\;[/itex] which doesn't add up nicely to the portion along [itex]\left[1,\infty\right)[/itex]. any insights are appreciated.
 
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  • #2
Doesn't this simplify fairly easily?
mmzaj said:
[tex]\frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}}[/tex]
 
  • #3
you would think ! but no, it doesn't ...
 
  • #4
The integral above is equivalent to :

[tex] \int_{1}^{\infty}\left(\frac{1}{2}-x+\left \lfloor x \right \rfloor \right )\left(\frac{1}{x\left(\ln x+z\right)}\right)dx [/tex]
And
[tex]\int_{1}^{\infty}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\sin(2 \pi n x)}{n\pi}\left(\frac{1}{x\left(\ln x+z\right)}\right)dx [/tex]
 
  • #5
[itex]\frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}} = \frac{e^{-2\pi i x}(e^{2\pi i x}-1)}{1-e^{2\pi i x}} = -e^{-2\pi i x}[/itex]
I end up with [itex]\int_0^∞\frac{1-2e^u}{2(u+z)}du[/itex]
which surely doesn't converge?
 
  • #6
haruspex said:
[itex]\frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}} = \frac{e^{-2\pi i x}(e^{2\pi i x}-1)}{1-e^{2\pi i x}} = -e^{-2\pi i x}[/itex]
I end up with [itex]\int_0^∞\frac{1-2e^u}{2(u+z)}du[/itex]
which surely doesn't converge?

you missed the fact that the inverse of the complex exponential - the complex [itex]\log[/itex] function- is multivalued. namely :
[tex] \frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}}=-e^{-2\pi i x}=e^{-2\pi i \left(x-1/2\right)}=e^{-2\pi i \left(\left \{ x \right \}-1/2\right)}[/tex]
Where [itex] \left \{ x \right \}[/itex] is the fractional part of x. Thus:
[tex] \frac{1}{2\pi i}\ln\left(\frac{1-e^{-2\pi i x}}{1-e^{2\pi i x}}\right)=\frac{1}{2}-\left \{ x \right \}[/tex]
Another way to think of it is to take the Taylor expansion of the [itex] \log[/itex]:
[tex] \frac{1}{2\pi i}\left(\ln\left(1-e^{-2\pi i x}\right)-\ln(1-e^{2\pi i x})\right)=\frac{1}{2\pi i}\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac{e^{2\pi i k x}-e^{-2\pi i kx}}{k}=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\sin(2\pi k x)}{k\pi}[/tex]
Which in turn is the Fourier expansion of [itex]\frac{1}{2}-\left \{ x \right \} [/itex]
Using these facts, we can prove that the integral in question is equal to the limit:
[tex] e^{-z}\text{Ei}(z)+\lim_{N\rightarrow \infty}\sum_{n=1}^{N}\left(n+\frac{1}{2} \right )\ln\left(\frac{\ln(n+1)+z}{\ln(n)+z} \right )-e^{-z}\text{Ei}(z+\ln N)[/tex]
Where [itex] \text{Ei}(z)[/itex] is the exponential integral function. But I'm stuck with this cumbersome limit
 
Last edited:

1. What is an irregular integral?

An irregular integral is an integral that cannot be solved using traditional methods such as substitution or integration by parts. It often involves functions that do not have an elementary antiderivative.

2. How do I solve an irregular integral?

There is no one method for solving an irregular integral. However, some techniques that are commonly used include trigonometric substitution, partial fractions, and using special functions such as the gamma function. It is important to carefully analyze the integrand and try different approaches until a solution is found.

3. What are some common types of irregular integrals?

Some common types of irregular integrals include improper integrals with unbounded limits, integrals with oscillatory or rapidly changing functions, and integrals with irrational or transcendental functions.

4. Can software or calculators solve irregular integrals?

Yes, there are software programs and graphing calculators that can numerically approximate the value of an irregular integral. However, it is still important to understand the concept and techniques involved in solving these integrals.

5. Why are irregular integrals important?

Irregular integrals are important in many areas of mathematics and science, including physics, engineering, and probability. They allow us to calculate important quantities such as area, volume, and probability distributions that cannot be easily solved using traditional methods. They also help us understand the behavior of complex functions and systems.

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