Singularities/Residues/ Applications 689
quarter-circles), say"(, and again the existence of
lim j f(z)dz
r-+O
7+
is needed for the method to be successful.
The following examples will make clear the technique described above
in general terms. As to the evaluation of real improper integrals of the
second kind, see type X below.
Type L Jo"'' f(x)dx, where f(x) satisfies the following conditions:
1. f ( x) has an extension f ( z) that is meromorphic in C, or at least on
either Imz 2::: 0 or Imz ::; 0.
- f(z) has no poles on the real axis.
3. f(-z) = f(z): i.e., f is an even function.
4. f(z) = 0(1/zOI), a > 1, as z ---+ oo.
The last condition implies that there exist constants K > 0 and M > 0
such that
K
lf(z)I::; i;F
for all z such that lzl 2::: M. As a consequence, f(z) must be regular at oo
since lf(z)I::; K/MOI for lzl 2::: M, so it will admit only a finite number of
poles. Also, we have zf(z) ~ 0 as lzl = R---+ oo since for R 2::: M we get
K
lzf(z)I::; ROl-1 ---+ 0 asR-+oo (9.11-1)
From conditions (2) and ( 4) it follows that the given integral converges
absolutely, smce
1
00
lf(x)I dx::; 1= -K dx = --K M^1 -1
M M XOI a -1 OI
Now consider the complex integral fc+ f(z)4z, where c+ = [-R,R] U
r+, with r+: z = Re;^6 , 0::; ()::; ?r, and R large enough so all poles of f(z)
in the upper half-plane be enclosed by c+ (Fig. 9.13). If those poles are
denoted by h (k = 1, 2, ... , m), we have, by the residue theorem,
R m
j f(z) dz= 1R f(x) dx + j f(z) dz= 2?ri L ~'1:9,. f(z)
c+ r+ k=1
(9.11-2)