Can Anyone Help Solve This Complex Integral Equality?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the evaluation of a complex integral equality involving gamma functions and exponential terms. Participants explore various methods of integration and substitutions, focusing on the conditions under which the equality holds.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents an integral equality involving gamma functions and expresses difficulty in proving it, suggesting that it may only hold under certain conditions on the parameters t and v.
  • Another participant proposes a substitution to simplify the first integral, leading to a form involving the gamma function, but does not resolve the second integral.
  • A participant questions the validity of changing the limits of integration when substituting variables, particularly regarding the behavior of the integral at infinity.
  • Another participant asserts that while the concept of infinity is consistent in the extended complex plane, caution is needed when changing contours of integration.
  • Concerns are raised about the convergence of the integrals, with a specific inequality mentioned that must be satisfied for the integrals to converge.
  • One participant suggests using contour integration techniques to justify the change of contours and mentions the possibility of looking up results in a table.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the validity of contour changes and the conditions required for convergence. There is no consensus on the integral's evaluation or the assumptions regarding the parameters involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the need for specific conditions on the parameters t and v for the integrals to converge, but these conditions remain unresolved within the discussion.

kaosAD
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I attempted to prove the following equality, but to no avail. Anyone is willing to lend a hand?

[tex]\int_0^{\infty} s^{2t-2v} e^{i w s} ds + \int_0^{\infty} s^{2t-2v} e^{-i w s} ds = \left[ \left( \frac{1}{-iw}\right)^{2t-2v+1} + \left( \frac{1}{iw}\right)^{2t-2v+1} \right] \Gamma(2t-2v + 1)[/tex],

where [tex]i = \sqrt{-1}[/tex], [tex]s > 0[/tex], [tex]\Gamma(\cdot)[/tex] is gamma function, [tex]-\pi \leq w \leq \pi[/tex], [tex]0 < t <1[/tex], and [tex]1 \leq v \leq \infty[/tex] is integer.

I got almost all the RHS, except the power terms. It seems strange as IMHO it is only true when [tex]t[/tex] is integer and that [tex]2t-2v+1 \geq 0[/tex].
 
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Try this.

In the first integral, apply this substitution:

Put [itex]u=-iws[/itex] (to make the exponent of e [itex]-u[/itex] so that the integral will look more like the gamma function), which gives [itex]s=\frac{u}{-i w}[/itex]; hence [itex]ds=\frac{du}{-iw}[/itex], and the integral becomes

[tex]\int_0^{\infty} s^{2t-2v} e^{iws} ds = \int_0^{\infty} \left( \frac{u}{-i w}\right) ^{2t-2v} e^{-u} \frac{du}{-iw}= \left( \frac{1}{-iw}\right) ^{2t-2v+1}\int_0^{\infty}u^{2t-2v} e^{-u} du = \left( \frac{1}{-iw}\right) ^{2t-2v+1} \Gamma\left( 2t-2u+1\right)[/tex]

The second integral can be evaluated by a similar substitution, try it.
 
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Gosh! Is it that simple? I did integration by parts that was 3 pages long and yet got nothing!

I have one question though. Since [tex]u = -iws[/tex], so [tex]u = -i\infty[/tex] for [tex]s = \infty[/tex] and [tex]u = 0[/tex] for [tex]s = 0[/tex]. Wouldn't it be

[tex]\left( \frac{1}{-iw}\right)^{2t-2v+1} \int_0^{-i\infty}u^{2t-2v} e^{-u} du[/tex]

My question is, will

[tex]\int_0^{-i\infty}u^{2t-2v} e^{-u} du = \Gamma\left( 2t-2v+1\right)[/tex]

valid?

p/s: I am assuming [tex]w > 0[/tex] for the sake of this discussion.
 
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I have asked this question before, and yes, it is legitimate. In the extended complex plane, the point at infinity is the common "terminal point" of any ray eminating from the origin, or, if you will, the north pole of the Riemann sphere. So, in the common English: "infinity is infinity."
 
The contours may have the same "infinity" endpoint in the extended complex plane, but that doesn't mean you can change contours at a whim. Consider [itex]\int_0^\infty e^{-u}du[/itex] and change the contour of integration to [itex]\int_0^{i \infty} e^{-u}du[/itex], the first integral converges, the second does not.

This question is a little strange, you need [tex]0> 2t-2v> -1[/tex] for convergence- the upper bound needed as you approach infinity, the lower bound as you approach 0. So I'm not sure about their allowed values of v and t? Anyways, if you satisfy this inequality then you can show this change of contours is permissible by considering the contour with four pieces, the line segment from r to R, the quarter circle from R to iR with center 0, the line from iR to ir, and finally the quarter circle from ir to r with center 0. Show that as r->0 and R->infinity (independantly) that the integrals over these semicircles both vanish. (also consider any possible residues inside this contour!)

Or you can look this up in a table. You can combine the two integrals and look for the Mellin transform of cos (which can be derived by rotating the contour to the imaginary axis as above).
 
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