Rewriting a complex number for use in an analytic computation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around rewriting complex numbers for analytic computations, specifically focusing on expressions involving the square root of complex numbers and logarithmic functions. Participants explore how to express these in a form suitable for further analysis, considering cases where the real part is positive or negative and the imaginary part is a small positive value.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the equation $$\tilde{x_0} = \ln(X + i\delta)$$ and discusses its evaluation for positive and negative values of X, noting the behavior as $$\delta \rightarrow 0$$.
  • Another participant suggests a representation of the square root of X in terms of its absolute value and a phase factor, particularly emphasizing the case when X is negative.
  • A different contribution provides a detailed logarithmic representation of a complex number, highlighting the importance of the imaginary part in the calculations.
  • Several participants express the need to rewrite $$\sqrt{X + i\delta}$$ in the form $$a + ib$$, where a and b are real, and discuss the implications of the sign of b based on the value of X.
  • One participant raises a question about the necessity of considering the limit as $$\delta \rightarrow 0$$ and its implications for the expression being discussed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the best approach to express the square root of the complex number or the implications of the limit as $$\delta$$ approaches zero. Multiple competing views and methods are presented, and participants continue to explore these ideas without reaching a definitive conclusion.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of the expressions and the dependence on the sign of X, as well as the behavior of the imaginary part as $$\delta$$ approaches zero. Some mathematical steps remain unresolved, particularly in determining the explicit forms of a and b.

CAF123
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Consider an equation, $$\tilde{x_0}
= \ln(X+ i\delta),$$ where X may be positive or negative and ##0< \delta \ll 1##. Now, if ##X>0## this evaluates to ##\ln(X)## in some limiting prescription for ##\delta \rightarrow 0## while if ##X<0##, we get ##\ln(-X) + i \pi. ##

Now, consider, $$\tilde{x_0} = 1-\sqrt{X+i \delta}.$$ How may I write this in the form ##a + i \delta##, where a is real?
 
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For real number X
X=|X|sgn(X)=|X|\ e^{(1-sgn(X))\pi/2\ i}
so I think
\sqrt{X}=\sqrt{|X|}\ e^{(1-sgn(X))\pi/4\ i}
In short for X < 0
\sqrt{X}=i\sqrt{-X}
 
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You have $$

z_0=\left |Z\right |e^{i\theta} + i\delta $$
$$x_0 =\log(z_0) $$
$$\mathcal Re z_0= \left |Z\right |\cos(\theta) \nonumber $$
$$\mathcal I am z_0=\left |Z\right |\sin(\theta) + \delta \nonumber $$
$$\log(z_0)=\frac{1}{2}\log(\left |Z\right |^2+\delta^2)+i\arctan(\frac{\left |Z\right |\sin(\theta)+\delta}{\left |Z\right |\cos(\theta)})

$$
for ##\log(-Z + i\delta)## you have ##\theta = \pi## and$$\log(-Z + i\delta)=\frac{1}{2}\log(Z^2 + \delta^2)+i\arctan(\frac{\delta}{\left |Z\right |})$$As you can see, you can't ignore the imaginary part of ##Z##.(Sorry about the equation spacing but latex won't interpret the "\\\" multiple line instruction today)
 
Fred Wright said:
(Sorry about the equation spacing but latex won't interpret the "\\\" multiple line instruction today)
It is accepted within \begin{align*} A&=a \\ B&=b \end{align*}:
\begin{align*}A&=a \\ B&=b\end{align*}
 
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The expression ## \sqrt {X+ i\delta}##, will equal a term of the form ##a+ib## , for## a,b## Real, and then you can write ## (1+a) +ib ##.
 
WWGD said:
The expression ## \sqrt {X+ i\delta}##, will equal a term of the form ##a+ib## , for## a,b## Real, and then you can write ## (1+a) +ib ##.
@WWGD thanks, yes this is what I’ve been trying to do. How to write it in such a form if X < 0?
 
CAF123 said:
@WWGD thanks, yes this is what I’ve been trying to do. How to write it in such a form if X < 0?
Ok, I I was just thinking of just taking a square root of the expression, which would be of the form a+ib, with neither a nor b equal to 0 and then grouping the parts together. Would that work, or is that too obvious? Edit: I was thinking along the lines of what Fred Wright wrote. Are you looking for an explicit expression for the square root in terms of ## X , \delta##?
 
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WWGD said:
Ok, I I was just thinking of just taking a square root of the expression, which would be of the form a+ib, with neither a nor b equal to 0 and then grouping the parts together. Would that work, or is that too obvious? Edit: I was thinking along the lines of what Fred Wright wrote. Are you looking for an explicit expression for the square root in terms of ## X , \delta##?
Thanks. Yes, I want to find ##\sqrt{X+i\delta} = a + ib## for the cases X <0 and X>0. As ##0 < \delta \ll 1## I can say ##b=\pm\delta## so all I need to decide is 1) the sign of b here and 2) what a is. Perhaps the sign of b depends on whether X is positive or negative but I can’t see how to prove that.
 
\sqrt{X+iδ}=(X^2+δ^2)^{1/4} \ e^{iϕ/2}=(X^2+δ^2)^{1/4} (\cos\frac{\phi}{2} + i \ \sin\frac{\phi}{2})
where
ϕ=tan^{−1}\frac{δ}{X}\ for\ X&gt;0
ϕ=π/2\ for\ X=0
ϕ=tan^{−1}\frac{\delta}{X}+π \ for\ X&lt;0
or
ϕ=tan^{−1}\frac{\delta}{X}+\frac{\pi}{2}(1−sgn(X))

As I posted in #2, I wonder why you are so much worrying about the expression with δ though δ→0 does not seem different from ##\delta=0## in its behavior.
 
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