Derivation of the Cauchy Riemann Equations and Laplace Equations

Cauchy-Riemann Equations (Rectangular form):

∂f ∂f 1
With f ( z ) = u + iv obtain f ′( z ) = = u x + ivx & f ′( z ) = = ( u y + iv y ) = v y − iu y
∂x ∂iy i
CR1: ux = vy CR2: v x = −u y

So u xx = v yx and vxy = −u yy ⇒ u xx = −u yy ⇒ u xx + u yy = 0 Laplace Equation! (v is similar)

Polar Transforms:
x = r cos θ ⇒ xr = cos θ & xθ = − r sin θ
y = r sin θ ⇒ yr = sin θ & yθ = r cos θ
x → (r ,θ )
Chain rule: u or v →
y → (r ,θ )
A: ur = u x xr + u y yr = u x cos θ + u y sin θ
B: uθ = u x xθ + u y yθ = −u x r sin θ + u y r cos θ
uθ
C: vr = vx xr + v y yr = vx cos θ + v y sin θ = −u y cos θ + u x sin θ = −
r
D: vθ = vx xθ + v y yθ = −vx r sin θ + v y r cos θ = u y r sin θ + u x r cos θ = rur

Polar Cauchy-Riemann Equations:

vθ uθ
PCR1: ur = by Eq. D and PCR2: vr = − by Eq. C
r r
vθ vθ r v u u u
so urr = − r − θθ2 ⇒ r urr + rur + uθθ = 0
2
urr = − 2
+ with θ = ur and vrθ = − θθ
r r r r r r
which is the Polar Laplace Equation (and similarly for v!)

Polar form for f ′( z ) derived with Method I (chain rule): (use z = reiθ )
∂f df ∂z ∂f df ∂z v u 
= = f ′( z )eiθ ⇒ f ′( z ) = e − iθ ( ur + ivr ) & = = f ′( z )rieiθ ⇒ f ′( z ) = e −iθ  θ − i θ 
∂r dz ∂r ∂θ dz ∂θ  r r 

Polar form for f ′( z ) with Method II (Cramer’s Rule):

cos θ sin θ
Using Cramer’s Rule on A: and B: above obtain: ∆ = = r cos 2 θ + r sin 2 θ = r
− r sin θ r cos θ
ur sin θ
uθ r cos θ r cos θ ur − sin θ uθ u
ux = = = cos θ ur − sin θ θ = cos θ ur + sin θ vr by PCR2
∆ r r
cos θ ur
−r sin θ uθcos θ uθ + r sin θ ur u
uy = = = cos θ θ + sin θ ur = − cos θ vr + sin θ ur = −vx by PCR2, CR2
∆ r r
⇒ f ′( z ) = u x + ivx = ( cos θ ur + sin θ vr ) − i ( − cos θ vr + sin θ ur ) = ( cos θ − i sin θ )( ur + ivr ) = e − iθ ( ur + ivr )
v u 
⇒ f ′( z ) = e − iθ ( ur + ivr ) = e −iθ  θ − i θ  by PCR2 which is the complex derivative in polar form!
 r r 