Section-40

Contour Integral
Contour Integral

Let f ( z ) be piecewise continuous on the contour C , then

the contour integral of f on C is
f  z  t   z '  t  dt
b
C
f ( z )dz  
t a

where z  z (t ), a  t  b represents a contour C.

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 Properties of the contour integral

1)  z f ( z )dz  z  f ( z )dz
C 0 0 C

2)   f ( z )  g  z   dz   f ( z )dz   g ( z )dz
C C C

3)  f ( z )dz    f ( z )dz
C C

4)  f ( z )dz   f ( z )dz   f ( z )dz

C C1  C2 C1 C2

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Example

Evaluate

 e
 z
dz
C

where C is the boundary of the square

with vertices at the points 0, 1, 1  i, and i,
the orientation of C being in
the counterclockwise direction.

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 Solution

C  0,1 B 1,1

O  0, 0  A 1, 0 

C1 i .e. OA  
: z t  t, 0t 1


C 2 i .e. AB  
: z t  1  it, 0t 1


C 3 i .e. BC  
: z t  t  i , 1  t  0


C 4 i .e. CO  
: z t  i t , 1  t  0
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Here f  z    e , using f  z  t   z '  t  dt
b
 f ( z )dz  
 z
C t a

f  z  dz      
1

t 
 e 1 dt  e 1
C1 t 0


f  z  dz    1i t 
  
1


e i dt  2e
C2 t 0

 f  z  dz    e   
0    t i  
1 dt  e 1
C3 t 1

f  z  dz      i  dt  2
0

 ti
 e
C4 t 1

 f  z  dz
C C1  C2  C3  C4

  f  z  dz   f  z  dz   f  z  dz   f  z  dz
C1 C2 C3 C4


 4 e  1  BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
Example

Evaluate


C

y  x  i3x 2 dz
along the curves C1 & C2 ,
where C1 is the contour from O to B via A and
C2 is the contour from O to B as shown in figure.

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus

 Solution

here f  z   y  x  i 3x 2

f  z  t   z '  t  dt
b
using C
f ( z )dz  
t a

and using the parametrization of OA, AB, OB, we get

i 1 i
C1 f  z  dz  OA f  z  dz  AB f  z  dz  2  2  i  1  2
 f  z  dz   f  z  dz  1  i
C2 OB

Remark :
In general, a contour integral depends on
paths between 2 fixed end points.
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 Example

Evaluate

 f  z  dz
C

where
f  z   z,
C is an arbitrary contour from
any fixed point z1 to any fixed point z2 in the z plane.

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Solution

let z  a   z1 , z  b   z2 &
z  z (t ), a  t  b represents a contour C ,
and let f  z   z

f  z  t   z '  t  dt
b
C
f ( z )dz  
t a

  z  t  z '  t  dt
b

t a
b
b d
  z  t  
2
   z  t   2
 z  b     z  a 
2 2
z 2
 z 2
   dt      2 1
t  a dt  2   2  2 2
   t  a
Remark :
Here the contour integral is independent of
paths between 2 fixed end points z1 and z 2 , why ?
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 Section-42
Examples with
branch cuts
Examples with Branch cuts

Evaluate


1/2
z dz
C
i
where C : z  3e , 0  

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 Solution
1 1 1
 ln r  i 
f z  z  e ,  r  0, 0    2 
log z
2 2
e 2

and the branch cut is positive x-axis   0  including the origin,

and C : z    3ei  , 0  
1  3
 ln 3 i 
 f  z    z '    e
i i
2
3iei  3e 2 3iei  i 3 3 e 2
, 0  ,
is piecewise continuous on 0    
f  z    z '   d

  z dz  
1/2
exists and
C  0

3 
 3  i 
 
   2 3  1  i 
2
e
 3e 3ie d  i3 3 
i i
i
2
e 2
d  i3 3 i 3
 0  0  
 2  0
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Examples with Branch cuts

Evaluate


C
z a 1dz , 0  a 
where C : z  Rei ,    

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 Solution

f  z   z a 1  e a 1 Log z  e a 1 ln r i  ,  r  0,       

and the branch cut is negative x-axis     including the origin,
where C : z    Rei  , R  0,      
 f  z    z '    e  a 1 ln R  i 
iRei   iR a e ai ,
is piecewise continuous on      
f  z    z '   d

  z dz  
a 1
exists and
C  

ai  ia  ia

  e  2iR a
 e  e  2iR a
 iR a  e ai d  iR a      sin a
 
 ai   a  2i  a
If a is nonzero integer, then  C
z1/2 dz  0 , | sin a  0
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Remark:
The path in a contour
integral can contain a
point on a branch cut of
the integrand and still the
integral can exist.
 Section-43
Upper Bound For
Moduli of contour
 Lemma

If w(t ) is a piecewise continuous complex-valued function

defined on an interval a  t  b, then

 w  t  dt   w  t  dt
b b

a a

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Proof:

 w  t  dt  0,
b
Case I : then result holds
a

 w  t  dt  0,
b
Case II :
a

w  t  dt  r0ei0
b
then let  a

e  i0 w  t  dt
b
 r0  a

now since r0 is a real no.

 r0  Re  r0   Re  e  i0 w  t  dt 
 b

 a 
w  t   dt   e w  t  dt   w  t  dt
b b b
  Re e  i0  i0
a a a

 w  t  dt   w  t  dt
b b

a a

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Theorem

Let C denote a contour of length L, and

let f ( z ) be piecewise continuous on C.
If M is a nonnegative constant such that
f z  M
for all points z on C at which f ( z ) is defined, then

 f  z  dz  ML
C

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 Proof

f ( z ) be piecewise continuous on the contour C ,

  f  z  dz exists.
C

let C : z  z  t  , a  t  b

 f  z  dz   f  z  t   z '  t  dt
b

C t a

f  z  t   z '  t  dt  M L
b

t a

f  z   M on C i.e. f  z  t    M , a  t  b and

z '  t  dt  L
b
t a
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Example

Show that if C is the boundary of the triangle

with vertices at the points 0, 3i, and  4,
oriented in the counterclockwise direction,
then


C

e z  z dz  60

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