Math 425

Fall 1998

Cauchy-Riemann in polar coordinates.

Suppose f is a complex valued function that is differentiable at a point z0 of the
complex plane. The idea here is to modify the method that resulted in the cartesian
version of the Cauchy-Riemann equations derived in 17 to get the polar version.
To this end, suppose z0 6= 0, write z = rei , z0 = r0 ei0 and express the real and
imaginary parts of f as functions of r and :
f (rei ) = u(r, ) + i v(r, ).
Step I. In the definition of differentiable at z0, let z z0 along the ray = 0
(draw a picture to illustrate this!). Then the following limit exists:
f 0 (z0 ) =
=

lim

rr0

f (rei0 ) f (r0 ei0 )

rei0 r0 ei0
lim

ei0 rr0
i0

= e

"

u(r, 0 ) u(r0 , 0 ) + i [v(r, 0 ) v(r0 , 0 )]

r r0

u(r, 0 ) u(r0 , 0 )
v(r, 0 ) v(r0 , 0 )
lim
+ i lim
.
rr0
rr0
r r0
r r0

Both limits in the last line exist because the limit in the first line does (and a complex
function has a limit at a point if and only if its real and imaginary parts do). Now
these limits equal the respective partial derivatives of u and v with respect to r, at
the polar coordinates (r0 , 0 ). The result is:
0

f (z0 ) = e

i0

"

u
v
(r0 , 0 ) + i (r0 , 0 )
r
r

(1)

Step II. In the definition of differentiable at z0 , let z z0 along the circle r = r0

(draw another picture to illustrate this new situation!), so that the following is true:
f 0 (z0 ) =

lim

f (r0 ei ) f (r0 ei0 )

r0 ei r0ei0
"

1
u(r0 , ) u(r0 , 0)
v(r0 , ) v(r0 , 0 )
=
lim
+i
i
i
0

r0
e e
ei ei0
0
1
=
lim
r0 0

("

#
#

u(r0 , ) u(r0 , 0 )
v(r0 , ) v(r0 , 0 )
0
+i
i
0
0
e ei0

As 0 the difference quotients in the square brackets convergeif they converge

at allto the partial derivatives of u and v with respect to , evaluated at the polar
1

coordinates (r0 , 0 ). This much-desired convergence will happen if we can prove that
the last fraction has a limit as 0 (make sure you understand why this is true!).
Now the reciprocal of the fraction whose convergence we hope to establish is:
ei ei0
0
which, as 0 , tends to
"

d
cos
d

=0

cos cos 0
sin sin 0
+i
,
0
0

"

d
+i
sin
d

=0

= sin 0 + i cos 0 = iei0 .

Putting it all together:

"

1
u
v
f (z0 ) =
(r0 , 0 ) + i (r0 , 0)
i
i r0 e 0

which, after a little complex arithmetic, becomes:

"

ei0 v
u
f 0 (z0 ) =
(r0 , 0 ) i (r0 , 0 )
r0

(2)

Step III. Equations (1) and (2) give two expressions for f 0 (z0 ). Upon equating the
real and imaginary parts of the right-hand sides of these equations we arrive at the
Polar Cauchy-Riemann Equations:
u
1 v
=
r
r

and

v
1 u
=
r
r

(3)

where, for aesthetic reasons, Ive left as understood the fact that everything is supposed to be evaluated at the polar coordinates (r0 , 0).
Summary. If f = u + i v is differentiable at z0 = r0 ei0 6= 0, then the polar CauchyRiemann equations (3) hold at (r0 , 0 ). In addition, we have these formulas for the
derivative of f :
0

i0

f (z0 ) = e

"

"

u
v
ei0 v
u
(r0 , 0 ) + i (r0 , 0 ) =
(r0 , 0 ) i
(r0 , 0 ) .
r
r
r0