Questions tagged [contour-integration]

Questions on the evaluation of integrals along a locus in the complex plane.

This is the procedure of calculating the contour integral around a given path/contour. It allows us to evaluate integrals on the real line $\mathbb{R}$ that are not able to be evaluated using real-variable methods.

Links:

Contour Integration at Wolfram MathWorld

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Integral $\int_{-1}^1\frac1x\sqrt{\frac{1+x}{1-x}}\ln\left(\frac{2\,x^2+2\,x+1}{2\,x^2-2\,x+1}\right) \mathrm dx$

I need help with this integral: $$I=\int_{-1}^1\frac1x\sqrt{\frac{1+x}{1-x}}\ln\left(\frac{2\,x^2+2\,x+1}{2\,x^2-2\,x+1}\right)\ \mathrm dx.$$ The integrand graph looks like this: $\hspace{1in}$ The approximate numeric value of the integral:…
Laila Podlesny
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The Integral that Stumped Feynman?

In " Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! ," Nobel-prize winning Physicist Richard Feynman said that he challenged his colleagues to give him an integral that they could evaluate with only complex methods that he could not do with real methods: One…
Argon
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Proving $\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty e^{-\pi n^2} = \frac{\sqrt[4] \pi}{\Gamma\left(\frac 3 4\right)}$

Wikipedia informs me that $$S = \vartheta(0;i)=\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty e^{-\pi n^2} = \frac{\sqrt[4] \pi}{\Gamma\left(\frac 3 4\right)}$$ I tried considering $f(x,n) = e^{-x n^2}$ so that its Mellin transform becomes $\mathcal{M}_x(f)=n^{-2z}…
Argon
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About the integral $\int_{0}^{+\infty}\sin(x\,\log x)\,dx$

It is an interesting exercise to show that the function $f(x)=\sin(x\log x)$ is Riemann-integrable over $\mathbb{R}^+$ (as shown by robjohn in this related question , for instance). Even more interesting is to notice that: $$\int_{0}^{1}f(x)\,dx =…
Jack D'Aurizio
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How to choose a proper contour for a contour integral?

When analyzing real integrals with contour integrals, how does one choose a proper contour integral? Many cases can be solved by integrating around the top half of a circle with radius of infinity and then integrating along the entire real line. I…
Argon
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Evaluating $\int_0^{\infty}\frac{\ln(x^2+1)}{x^2+1}dx$

How would I go about evaluating this integral? $$\int_0^{\infty}\frac{\ln(x^2+1)}{x^2+1}dx.$$ What I've tried so far: I tried a semicircular integral in the positive imaginary part of the complex plane, excluding the negative real axis, but had…
user55225
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Proof without words of $\oint zdz = 0$ and $\oint dz/z = 2\pi i$

I found this visual "proof" of $\oint zdz = 0$ and $\oint dz/z = 2\pi i$ quite compelling and first want to share it with you. But I have a real question, too, which I will ask at the end of this post, so please stay tuned. Consider the unit circle…
Hans-Peter Stricker
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Proof $\int_{-\infty}^\infty\frac{dx}{\left(e^x+e^{-x}+e^{ix\sqrt{3}}\right)^2}=\frac{1}{3}$

I'm interested in possible generalizations of the integral $$ \int_{-\infty}^\infty\frac{dx}{\left(\cosh x+\frac{1}{2}e^{ix\sqrt{3}}\right)^2}=\frac{4}{3},\tag{1} $$ or equivalently $$ \int_0^\infty\frac{dt}{(1+t+t^{\,\alpha})^2}=\frac23, \quad…
D.B. Cooper
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Tricky contour integral resulting from the integration of $\sin ax / (x^2+b^2)$ over the positive halfline

I am trying to evaluate the definite integral $$\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin ax\ dx}{x^2+b^2}$$ where $a,b>0$. This is a problem on an assignment for a class in complex variables. I understand the mechanics of contour integration, but I am stuck. (I…
Ben Blum-Smith
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Evaluating the integral $\int_{-\infty}^\infty \frac {dx}{\cos x + \cosh x}$

Many recent questions have been asked here similar to this integral $$\int_{-\infty}^\infty \frac {dx}{\cos x + \cosh x} = 2.39587\dots$$ whose "closed form" I cannot seem to figure out. I have tried contour integration, but the sum of the residues…
Argon
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Showing that $\int_0^1 \log(\sin \pi x)dx=-\log2$

I need help with a textbook exercise (Stein's Complex Analysis, Chapter 3, Exercises 9). This exercise requires me to show that $$\int_0^1 \log(\sin \pi x)dx=-\log2$$ A hint is given as "Use the contour shown in Figure 9." Since this is an exercise…
zytsang
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Integral $\int_0^\pi \theta^2 \ln^2\big(2\cos\frac{\theta}{2}\big)d \theta$.

I am trying to calculate $$ I=\frac{1}{\pi}\int_0^\pi \theta^2 \ln^2\big(2\cos\frac{\theta}{2}\big)d \theta=\frac{11\pi^4}{180}=\frac{11\zeta(4)}{2}. $$ Note, we can expand the log in the integral to obtain three interals, one trivial, the other 2…
Jeff Faraci
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Integral $\int_0^{\infty} \frac{\log x}{\cosh^2x} \ \mathrm{d}x = \log\frac {\pi}4- \gamma$

Inspired by the user @Integrals, I thought I'd find some nice integrals! Especially interesting are those involving $\log \pi$. From Borwein and Devlin's "The Computer as Crucible", pg. 58 - show that $$\displaystyle \int_0^{\infty} \frac{\log…
Bennett Gardiner
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I think I don't truly understand Cauchy's Integral theorem

Cauchy's theorem states that closed line integral of some holomorphic functions yields zero, in some good regions (i.e. simply connected domain). More explicitly, $$ \oint_\gamma f(z) d z=0. $$ Many textbooks use Goursat's theorem or Green's theorem…
SunnyMath
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More direct proof that $ \int_0^\infty\frac{\tanh(a x)}{\tanh(\pi x)}\sin(2ax^2)\,dx=\frac{1}{4}$ is independent of parameter $a$

I'm looking for alternative ways to calculate the integral $$ \int_0^\infty\frac{\tanh(\alpha x)}{\tanh(\pi x)}\sin(2\alpha x^2)\,dx=\frac{1}{4},\qquad \alpha>0.\tag {*} $$ It was derived in a lengthy calculation using roundabout method from Fourier…
D.B. Cooper
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