Finding a Laurent series / residue problem

In summary, the author is trying to find the residue of a function at a singularity, but is having trouble due to the multiplicative arguments and the singularity. He eventually solves the problem by using a result about Laurent series and a pole of order m.
  • #1
Ocifer
32
0

Homework Statement


[itex] f(z) = \frac{1}{ \exp{ \frac {z^2 - \pi/2}{ \sqrt{3} } } + i } [/itex]

Find the residue of f(z) at [itex] z_0 = \frac{ \sqrt(\pi) }{2 } ( \sqrt(3) - i ) [/itex]


Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



I was able to verify that the given z_0 is a singularity, and furthermore an essential singularity. However, I am stumped at how to figure out the residue (value of [itex] a_{-1} [/itex] ) from the given information.

I've tried rearranging letting f(z) be a general Laurent series, and then rearranged the equation. I've tried making multiplicative arguments, like below:

[itex] \sum_{n \in Z} d_n (z - z_0)^n \cdot ( \exp{ \frac {z^2 - \pi/2}{ \sqrt{3} } } + i ) = 1[/itex]

In the past I've been able to figure out the residue from multiplicative arguments and matching powers, but I don't see how I can do that here. Since the given z_0 is an essential singularity, there will necessarily be an infinite number of negative-degree terms, which must cancel with the infinite number of positive-degree terms from the exponential portion, and it gets so messy that I can't resolve anything.

Furthermore, I am troubled by the fact that I would need an infinite number of negative powers to cancel with an infinite number of positive powers, and so I am not even sure if the usual approach of matching powers will terminate or give an answer.

Can anyone provide a hint, or point out an error I may have made?

I should mention that I've found series for the exponential expression and trivially for the 1, both about z0. But I'm not finding a nice pattern for the coefficients of the exponential so that I can equate coefficients. The first few terms I have but they're not pretty
 
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  • #2
Ocifer said:

Homework Statement


[itex] f(z) = \frac{1}{ \exp{ \frac {z^2 - \pi/2}{ \sqrt{3} } } + i } [/itex]

Find the residue of f(z) at [itex] z_0 = \frac{ \sqrt(\pi) }{2 } ( \sqrt(3) - i ) [/itex]


Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



I was able to verify that the given z_0 is a singularity, and furthermore an essential singularity. However, I am stumped at how to figure out the residue (value of [itex] a_{-1} [/itex] ) from the given information.

I've tried rearranging letting f(z) be a general Laurent series, and then rearranged the equation. I've tried making multiplicative arguments, like below:

[itex] \sum_{n \in Z} d_n (z - z_0)^n \cdot ( \exp{ \frac {z^2 - \pi/2}{ \sqrt{3} } } + i ) = 1[/itex]

In the past I've been able to figure out the residue from multiplicative arguments and matching powers, but I don't see how I can do that here. Since the given z_0 is an essential singularity, there will necessarily be an infinite number of negative-degree terms, which must cancel with the infinite number of positive-degree terms from the exponential portion, and it gets so messy that I can't resolve anything.

Furthermore, I am troubled by the fact that I would need an infinite number of negative powers to cancel with an infinite number of positive powers, and so I am not even sure if the usual approach of matching powers will terminate or give an answer.

Can anyone provide a hint, or point out an error I may have made?

I should mention that I've found series for the exponential expression and trivially for the 1, both about z0. But I'm not finding a nice pattern for the coefficients of the exponential so that I can equate coefficients. The first few terms I have but they're not pretty

It doesn't look like an essential singularity to me. It looks like a simple pole. Why do you think it's essential? Did you try just computing the limit z->z0 (z-z0)*f(z)?
 
  • #3
Thank you for pointing that out, I must have been careless earlier. Using L'Hopital's rule on the indeterminate "0/0" form, I also now get that it is a simple pole. After that I used a result about Laurent series and residue about a pole of order m.

Thank you.
 

Related to Finding a Laurent series / residue problem

1. What is a Laurent series?

A Laurent series is a type of power series used to represent complex functions in a region surrounding an isolated singularity. It is a combination of a power series and a negative power series, allowing for the representation of functions that have poles or essential singularities. It is named after the French mathematician Pierre Alphonse Laurent.

2. How do I find the Laurent series of a function?

To find the Laurent series of a function, you can use the following formula: f(z) = ∑n=−∞ cn(z−z0)n, where cn is the coefficient of the power series and z0 is the center of expansion. You can also use the Cauchy integral formula or the method of residues to find the coefficients and determine the convergence of the series.

3. What is a residue in a Laurent series?

A residue is the coefficient of the (z−z0)−1 term in a Laurent series. It represents the value of the function at the singularity of the series. Residues are important in the evaluation of complex integrals, as they can be used to calculate the value of an integral using the residue theorem.

4. Why is finding the residue important?

Knowing the residue of a function is important because it allows us to evaluate complex integrals that cannot be solved using traditional methods. The residue theorem states that the value of an integral around a closed curve is equal to 2πi times the sum of the residues of the singularities inside the curve. This makes finding the residue crucial in solving many complex problems in physics and engineering.

5. What are some common methods for finding residues?

Some common methods for finding residues include the Cauchy integral formula, the method of residues, and the partial fraction decomposition method. These methods involve manipulating the Laurent series of a function to isolate the residue term and then calculating the coefficient. Other techniques, such as using the Laurent series expansion of a function, can also be used to find residues in certain cases.

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