3.6.

Cauchy Integral Theorem

To study the Cauchy Integral Theorem we have to learn some basic definitions.

Simply connected domain

A domain is said to be simply connected if every simple closed curve inside
encloses only points of , or any simple closed curve which lies in can be shrunk to
a point inside without leaving .

Ex: i) A plain sheet of paper with no holes in it is a simply connected domain as

shown in figure.

ii) Suppose the domain shown in the shaded region. Then is any simple
closed curve lying in (i.e., whose points are in ) shrunk to a point which lies in
without leaving . Thus, is a simply connected.

Cauchy Integral Theorem

Let be analytic and be continuous in a simply connected domain . Then,

 C
f ( z ) dz  0

along every simple, smooth (piecewise smooth), closed curve contained in .

Note: The Cauchy Integral theorem is one of the most important theorems of
complex variable theory. The Cauchy integral theorem uses two conditions: (i) The
domain is simply connected and (ii) is analytic and is continuous in .
Notice that the condition (i) is necessary and the condition (ii) is sufficient for Cauchy
integral theorem.
Example 1: Evaluate the following integrals using Cauchy integral theorem

  dz , 1
  
sin z 2
(i) e (ii) tan( z ) dz , (iii)   dz , where
C C C z 

Solution:

(i) Notice that the integrand is analytic on the entire finite complex
plane (Domain ). Also,

, which is a continuous function on the entire finite

complex plane (Domain ). Since the path is a unit circle which is
contained in the domain of , that is, finite complex plane, by Cauchy integral
Theorem we have
  dz  0

sin z 2
e
C
(ii) Notice that the integrand is analytic for all except at the points
(Domain ). Also, , which is a
continuous function for all except at the points
(Domain ). Clearly, the path is a unit circle of radius where the points
lies outside of and hence is contained in the domain of
, by Cauchy integral Theorem we have

 C
tan( z ) dz  0

(iii) Notice that the integrand is analytic for all except at

(Domain ). Also, , which is a continuous function for all
except at (Domain ). Clearly, the path is a unit circle where
the point lies inside of and hence is not contained in the domain
of . Thus, Cauchy integral Theorem cannot be applied. However, we have
result that
 2i , n  1
C
z n dz  
 0 , n  1
1
Thus,
   dz  2i
C z 

Remark: By relaxing the condition that the continuity of in the domain , the
famous Mathematician Goursat proved the Cauchy integral theorem and hence this
theorem was known as Cauchy-Goursat Theorem which is stated as follows:

Cauchy-Goursat Theorem

Let be analytic in a simply connected domain . Then,

 C
f ( z ) dz  0 along

every simple, smooth, closed curve contained in .

3z  5 
Example 2: Evaluate the integral I   2 
 dz , where .
C  z  2z 

Solution: Let . Then

 3z  5  1  1 
  
5 1
I  2  dz    dz    dz  I1  I 2
C  z  2z  2 C z  2 C z  2 

Notice that the given integrand is analytic for all except at the points
(Domain ) and the curve is a unit circle with center at origin.
For the integral , the integrand is not analytic at which lies inside of and
hence is not contained in the domain of . Thus, Cauchy-Goursat theorem is not
applicable. However, we have the result that
2i , n  1
C 
z n dz  
 0 , n  1
1

5 5
Thus, I1    dz   2i   5i
2 C z  2
For the integral , the integrand is analytic everywhere except at which
lies outside of and hence is contained in the domain of . Thus, by Cauchy-
Goursat theorem we have
 1 

1
I2    dz  0
2 C z  2 

 3z  5 
Therefore, I 
  2  dz  5i  0  5i
C  z  2z 

Use of indefinite integral in the evaluation of Line integrals

If is analytic function in a simply connected domain which contains the curve
joining points to in , then
z1

 z0
f ( z ) dz  F  z1   F  z0  , where F ( z ) 
 f ( z) dz
Example 3: Evaluate the following integrals
2i i 12i
(i)

i
z dz (ii)
0
sinh  z  dz (iii)

0
ze z dz

Solution: Notice that the respective integrands in the above three integrals are
analytic in the entire finite complex plane. Therefore, the integrals can be evaluated
by using indefinite integration.
2i
z2 (2  i ) 2 i 2

(i ) F ( z )  z dz  
2 i 
z dz  F (2  i )  F (i ) 
2
  2  2i
2
cosh(z ) 1  z

(ii ) F ( z )  sinh(z ) dz 


2  e  e z 

 
i


1  i 2
 sinh(z ) dz  F (i )  F (0)  e  e i  (1  1)   
0 2   
1 2i


(iii ) F ( z )  ze z dz  e z ( z  1) 
0
ze z dz  F (1  2i )  F (0)  2ie12i  1

Independence of Path
Let be analytic in a simply connected domain and be any path joining two
points and which lies entirely in . Then

C
f ( z ) dz is independent of the path

and depends only on the end points and .

Note: When the integral is independent of path of integration, we can write the
integral in terms of its end points, that is,
z2

C
f ( z ) dz 
 z1
f ( z ) dz ,

where is any path joining the points and .

Example 4: Evaluate the integral I   z dz in each of the following cases:
2
C
i) is the straight line path joining the points and
ii) is the straight line path joining the points and and then followed
by the straight line path joining the points and
iii) is the parabolic path along the points and
Solution: Notice that the integrand is analytic in the entire finite complex
plane, a simply connected domain of . Thus, the straight line paths and the
parabolic path entirely are lies in . Thus,
 C
f ( z ) dz is independent of the path

and depends only on the end points.

i) Using indefinite integration we have

1 2i
(1, 2)
 11  2i 
  
1
I z dz 
2
z dz 
2
z 2 dz  F (1  2i )  F (0)  (1  2i )3  0     
C (0, 0) 0 3  3 
ii) Using indefinite integration we have
(1, 0) 1

  
1 1
I1  z 2dz  z 2 dz  z 2 dz  F (1)  F (0)  (1)3  0 
C1 (0, 0) 0 3 3
(1, 2) 1 2i

  
1
I2  z 2dz  z 2 dz  z 2 dz  F (1  2i )  F (1)  (1  2i )3  1
C2 (1, 0) 1 3
1  (1  2i )3  11  2i 
I  I1  I 2  1  (1  2i )  1 
3
  
3 3  3 
iii) Along the parabolic path and
For we have and

 x 2  20 x 4  i 8x3  16 x5  dx    11  2i 
    
1
I

C
z 2 dz 
0   3 
Notice that in above all three cases, the value of the integral is same and is equal to
.
Multiply connected domain
A domain is said to be multiply connected if it is not simply connected.

Ex: i) A plain sheet of paper from which some interior parts are removed is a multiply
connected domain as shown in figure. Let is removed from . If a closed curve
is shrunk, then it cannot be shrunk to a point as is not a part of .

ii) The annulus region is a multiply connected domain as shown in

figure. Because every closed curve between the circles and cannot
be shrunk to a point in .

iii) The annulus region is a multiply connected domain which has one
hole and also the other multiply connected domain has two holes as shown in figure.

Thus, we may say that a multiply connected domain has ‘holes’ in it. A multiply
connected domain with one hole is called doubly connected and with two holes
called triply connected (as shown in figure) and so on.
 Any multiply connected domain can be converted into a simply connected domain by
introducing sufficient number of cuts in the domain. For example a doubly connected
domain is converted into a simply connected domain as shown in figure.

First introduce a cut in the domain along (in fig (b)) and then the new domain is
simply connected with the bounding curve as (in fig (c)). Notice that the
connected sets (in fig (a) and fig(c)) in both the domains are same.

In similar manner a triply connected domain is converted into simply connected using
two cuts in an order as shown in figure.

In general, by introducing the required number of cuts in an order, a multiply

connected domain can be converted into a simply connected domain as shown in
figure. This concept is very useful in evaluating integrals along a curve which is
bounding a multiply connected domain.
Extension of Cauchy-Goursat Theorem for multiply connected domains
Let be analytic in a domain bounded by non-intersecting simple closed
curves , where lie inside . Then by extending the
Cauchy integral theorem, we get

 C
f ( z ) dz 

C1
f ( z ) dz 

C2
f ( z ) dz  

Cn
f ( z ) dz


dz
Example 5: Using the extension of Cauchy-Goursat theorem, evaluate ,
C z  z  2

where is any rectangle containing the points and inside it.

Solution: Notice that the integrand is analytic for all except ,
where they lie inside . To evaluate the given integral we first enclose the points
and by circles and of radii and respectively in such a way that both
these circles lie inside and do not intersect each other as shown in figure.
Therefore, the domain bounded by , and
is a multiply connected domain. Hence by using the
extension of Cauchy-Goursat theorem for multiply
connected domains, we obtain

  
dz dz dz
 
C z  z  2 C1 z  z  2  C2 z  z  2 

1 1  1 1 
 
1 1
    dz     dz
2 C1  z z2 2 C2  z z 2

 
1 1
Notice that by Cauchy-Goursat theorem we have dz  0 ; dz  0
C1 z  2 C2 z

2i , n  1 2i , n  1
We have
C
z n dz  
 0 , n  1
and
 C
 z  z0 n dz  
 0 , n  1
  
1 1
Thus, dz  2i ; dz  2i
C1 z C2 z  2


dz 1 1
Therefore,  (2i  0)  (0  2i)  0
C z  z  2 2 2
2z  1
Example 6: Using the extension of Cauchy-Goursat theorem, evaluate  Cz z
2
dz

where .
Solution: The integrand can be written as
Notice that the integrand is analytic for all except , where they lie
inside . To evaluate the given integral we first enclose the points and by
circles and of radii and respectively in such a way that both these circles lie
inside and do not intersect each other as shown
in figure. Therefore, the domain bounded by , and
is a multiply connected domain. Hence by using the
extension of Cauchy-Goursat theorem for multiply
connected domains, we obtain
2z  1 1 1  1 1 
 Cz z
2
dz   
C1  z   dz 
z 1
 
C2  z 
z 1
 dz

 
1 1
Notice that by Cauchy-Goursat theorem we have dz  0 ; dz  0
C1 z  1 C2 z

2i , n  1 2i , n  1
We have
 C
z n dz  
 0 , n   1
and

C
 z  z0 n dz  
 0 , n  1

 
1 1
Thus, dz  2i ; dz  2i
C1 z C2 z  1

2z  1
Therefore,

Cz z
2
dz  (2i  0)  (0  2i)  4i

Note: If any one of the points of lie inside the path , then apply Cauchy-
Goursat theorem. If more than one point lies inside the path , then apply the
extension of the Cauchy-Goursat theorem.