- #1
newmike
- 8
- 0
Homework Statement
Determine the nature of the singularities of the following function and evaluate the residues.
[tex]\frac{z^{-k}}{z+1}[/tex]
for 0 < k < 1
Homework Equations
Residue theorem, Laurent expansions, etc.
The Attempt at a Solution
Ok this is a weird one since we've never covered anything with a non integer exponent, in fact, never with a variable exponent at all.
I realize there is a simple pole at z=-1. If I assume the numerator to be analytic and non-zero at z=-1 (which I think it true for the range of k), then I can calculate the residue at z=-1 by the simple formula: R(-1) = g(-1) / h'(-1), where g(z) is the numerator and h(z) is the denominator. If I carry through with that I get R(-1) = (-1)^(-k) which I am ok with I guess.
The problem is that I don't know what to do with the potential pole as k approaches 1. In that case we'd approach a simple pole at z=0. Alternatively, as k approached 0, we do not have a singularity at z=0 at all. So how do I handle the fact that this is a variable??
Should I try to turn this into a laurent series and go from there?
Thanks in advance.