Complex Analysis - Contour integral

EC92
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Homework Statement



I have the following problem:
Compute
[itex]\operatorname{Re} \int _\gamma \frac{\sqrt{z}}{z+1} dz,[/itex]
where [itex]\gamma[/itex] is the quarter-circle [itex]\{ z: |z|=1, \operatorname{Re}z \geq 0 , \operatorname{Im} z \geq 0 \}[/itex] oriented from 1 to [itex]i[/itex], and [itex]\sqrt{z}[/itex] denotes the principal branch.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I've been trying to solve this using the complex analog of the 2nd Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Substituting [itex]u = \sqrt{z}[/itex] and using partial fractions, I get
[itex]\int_\delta 2 - \frac{i}{u+i} + \frac{i}{u-i} du[/itex]
where delta is the eighth-circle from 1 to [itex]e^{i\pi /4}[/itex]
This is equal to
[itex][2u - i \log(u+i) + i\log (u-i)]_{u=1} ^{u=e^{i\pi/4}}[/itex],

and the real part is then

[itex][\operatorname{Re} u + \operatorname{Arg}(u+i) -\operatorname{Arg}(u-i)]_{u=1} ^{u = e^{i \pi /4}}[/itex]

However, the arguments at [itex]u=e^{i\pi /4}[/itex] do not come out to nice forms. I am wondering if my approach is even correct, and if there's a better way to solve problems of this type.
Thanks.

[Mathematica says the value is approximately -0.584].
 
on Phys.org
Combine the logs:
$$-i \log (u+i) + i\log(u-i) = i\log\frac{u-i}{u+i}$$ For ##u=e^{i\pi/4}##, you should be able to show that ##\frac{u-i}{u+i} = -i \tan \pi/8##.
 
EC92 said:
I am wondering if my approach is even correct, and if there's a better way to solve problems of this type.


Yes. You can approach it entirely in terms of an analytically-continuous antiderivative. But I realize that analytically-continuous thing is what, not easy to understand? First, what is any-old antiderivative? That's easy right:

[tex] \begin{align}<br /> \int_1^i \frac{\sqrt{z}}{z+1}dz&=\int_1^{\sqrt{i}} \frac{2u^2}{u^2+1}du\\<br /> &=2(u-\arctan(u)\biggr|_1^{\sqrt{i}}<br /> \end{align}[/tex]

Ok then, as long as you evaluate that antiderivative along an analytically-continuous path from 1 to [itex]e^{\pi i/4}[/itex] then you can simply evaluate the antiderivative at it's end-points. But the multi-valued function [itex]\arctan(z)[/itex] has branch-points at [itex]\pm i[/itex] so my path from 1 to [itex]\sqrt{i}[/itex] doesn't pass near these points or go around them, so I can use the prinicpal-valued branch of arctan(z) and simply write:

[tex]\int_{1}^{i}\frac{\sqrt{z}}{z+1}=2\left[(\sqrt{i}-\arctan(\sqrt{i}))-(1-\arctan(1))\right][/tex]
 

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