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Pochhammer Cycle
In mathematics, the Pochhammer contour, introduced by Jordan (1887), pp. 243–244 and , is a contour in the complex plane with two points removed, used for contour integration. If ''A'' and ''B'' are loops around the two points, both starting at some fixed point ''P'', then the Pochhammer contour is the commutator ''ABA''−1''B''−1, where the superscript −1 denotes a path taken in the opposite direction. With the two points taken as 0 and 1, the fixed basepoint ''P'' being on the real axis between them, an example is the path that starts at ''P'', encircles the point 1 in the counter-clockwise direction and returns to ''P'', then encircles 0 counter-clockwise and returns to ''P'', after that circling 1 and then 0 clockwise, before coming back to ''P''. The class of the contour is an actual commutator when it is considered in the fundamental group with basepoint ''P'' of the complement in the complex plane (or Riemann sphere) of the two points looped. When it come ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Complex Plane
In mathematics, the complex plane is the plane (geometry), plane formed by the complex numbers, with a Cartesian coordinate system such that the horizontal -axis, called the real axis, is formed by the real numbers, and the vertical -axis, called the imaginary axis, is formed by the imaginary numbers. The complex plane allows for a geometric interpretation of complex numbers. Under addition, they add like vector (geometry), vectors. The multiplication of two complex numbers can be expressed more easily in polar coordinates: the magnitude or ' of the product is the product of the two absolute values, or moduli, and the angle or ' of the product is the sum of the two angles, or arguments. In particular, multiplication by a complex number of modulus 1 acts as a rotation. The complex plane is sometimes called the Argand plane or Gauss plane. Notational conventions Complex numbers In complex analysis, the complex numbers are customarily represented by the symbol , which can be sepa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Contour Integration
In the mathematical field of complex analysis, contour integration is a method of evaluating certain integrals along paths in the complex plane. Contour integration is closely related to the Residue theorem, calculus of residues, a method of complex analysis. One use for contour integrals is the evaluation of integrals along the real line that are not readily found by using only real variable methods. It also has various applications in physics. Contour integration methods include: * direct integration of a complex number, complex-valued function along a curve in the complex plane * application of the Cauchy integral formula * application of the residue theorem One method can be used, or a combination of these methods, or various limiting processes, for the purpose of finding these integrals or sums. Curves in the complex plane In complex analysis, a contour is a type of curve in the complex plane. In contour integration, contours provide a precise definition of the curves on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commutator
In mathematics, the commutator gives an indication of the extent to which a certain binary operation fails to be commutative. There are different definitions used in group theory and ring theory. Group theory The commutator of two elements, and , of a group , is the element : . This element is equal to the group's identity if and only if and commute (that is, if and only if ). The set of all commutators of a group is not in general closed under the group operation, but the subgroup of ''G'' generated by all commutators is closed and is called the ''derived group'' or the '' commutator subgroup'' of ''G''. Commutators are used to define nilpotent and solvable groups and the largest abelian quotient group. The definition of the commutator above is used throughout this article, but many group theorists define the commutator as : . Using the first definition, this can be expressed as . Identities (group theory) Commutator identities are an important tool in group th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fundamental Group
In the mathematics, mathematical field of algebraic topology, the fundamental group of a topological space is the group (mathematics), group of the equivalence classes under homotopy of the Loop (topology), loops contained in the space. It records information about the basic shape, or holes, of the topological space. The fundamental group is the first and simplest homotopy group. The fundamental group is a homotopy invariant—topological spaces that are homotopy equivalent (or the stronger case of homeomorphic) have Group isomorphism, isomorphic fundamental groups. The fundamental group of a topological space X is denoted by \pi_1(X). Intuition Start with a space (for example, a surface (mathematics), surface), and some point in it, and all the loops both starting and ending at this point—path (topology), paths that start at this point, wander around and eventually return to the starting point. Two loops can be combined in an obvious way: travel along the first loop, then alo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Riemann Sphere
In mathematics, the Riemann sphere, named after Bernhard Riemann, is a Mathematical model, model of the extended complex plane (also called the closed complex plane): the complex plane plus one point at infinity. This extended plane represents the extended complex numbers, that is, the complex numbers plus a value \infty for infinity. With the Riemann model, the point \infty is near to very large numbers, just as the point 0 is near to very small numbers. The extended complex numbers are useful in complex analysis because they allow for division by zero in some circumstances, in a way that makes expressions such as 1/0=\infty well-behaved. For example, any rational function on the complex plane can be extended to a holomorphic function on the Riemann sphere, with the Pole (complex analysis), poles of the rational function mapping to infinity. More generally, any meromorphic function can be thought of as a holomorphic function whose codomain is the Riemann sphere. In geometr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homology (mathematics)
In mathematics, the term homology, originally introduced in algebraic topology, has three primary, closely-related usages. The most direct usage of the term is to take the ''homology of a chain complex'', resulting in a sequence of Abelian group, abelian groups called ''homology groups.'' This operation, in turn, allows one to associate various named ''homologies'' or ''homology theories'' to various other types of mathematical objects. Lastly, since there are many homology theories for Topological space, topological spaces that produce the same answer, one also often speaks of the ''homology of a topological space''. (This latter notion of homology admits more intuitive descriptions for 1- or 2-dimensional topological spaces, and is sometimes referenced in popular mathematics.) There is also a related notion of the cohomology of a Cochain complexes, cochain complex, giving rise to various cohomology theories, in addition to the notion of the cohomology of a topological space. Ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homotopy Group
In mathematics, homotopy groups are used in algebraic topology to classify topological spaces. The first and simplest homotopy group is the fundamental group, denoted \pi_1(X), which records information about loops in a space. Intuitively, homotopy groups record information about the basic shape, or '' holes'', of a topological space. To define the ''n''th homotopy group, the base-point-preserving maps from an ''n''-dimensional sphere (with base point) into a given space (with base point) are collected into equivalence classes, called homotopy classes. Two mappings are homotopic if one can be continuously deformed into the other. These homotopy classes form a group, called the ''n''th homotopy group, \pi_n(X), of the given space ''X'' with base point. Topological spaces with differing homotopy groups are never homeomorphic, but topological spaces that homeomorphic have the same homotopy groups. The notion of homotopy of paths was introduced by Camille Jordan. Introduc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Winding Number
In mathematics, the winding number or winding index of a closed curve in the plane (mathematics), plane around a given point (mathematics), point is an integer representing the total number of times that the curve travels counterclockwise around the point, i.e., the curve's number of turns. For certain open plane curves, the number of turns may be a non-integer. The winding number depends on the curve orientation, orientation of the curve, and it is negative number, negative if the curve travels around the point clockwise. Winding numbers are fundamental objects of study in algebraic topology, and they play an important role in vector calculus, complex analysis, geometric topology, differential geometry, and physics (such as in string theory). Intuitive description Suppose we are given a closed, oriented curve in the ''xy'' plane. We can imagine the curve as the path of motion of some object, with the orientation indicating the direction in which the object moves. Then the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pochhammer
Leo August Pochhammer (25 August 1841, Stendal – 24 March 1920, Kiel) was a Prussian mathematician who was known for his work on special functions and introduced the Pochhammer symbol, now generally used for expressing hypergeometric functions in a compact notation. Life Pochhammer was born in Stendal, but grew up in Berlin. He studied mathematics and physics at the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin from 1859 to 1863. He received his doctorate in 1863 from Ernst Eduard Kummer. A period of habilitation followed in 1872. For the next two years he was a lecturer in Berlin. In 1874 he became Professor at the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel. After the Mathematical Seminar was founded at the same university in 1877, a second chair for mathematics was established with the appointment of Pochhammer as full professor. On 22 May 1877, regulations for the mathematical seminar at the Royal University in Kiel were issued. Along with the German mathematician and astronomer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beta Function
In mathematics, the beta function, also called the Euler integral of the first kind, is a special function that is closely related to the gamma function and to binomial coefficients. It is defined by the integral : \Beta(z_1,z_2) = \int_0^1 t^(1-t)^\,dt for complex number inputs z_1, z_2 such that \operatorname(z_1), \operatorname(z_2)>0. The beta function was studied by Leonhard Euler and Adrien-Marie Legendre and was given its name by Jacques Binet; its symbol is a Greek capital beta. Properties The beta function is symmetric, meaning that \Beta(z_1,z_2) = \Beta(z_2,z_1) for all inputs z_1 and z_2.. Specifically, see 6.2 Beta Function. A key property of the beta function is its close relationship to the gamma function: : \Beta(z_1,z_2)=\frac A proof is given below in . The beta function is also closely related to binomial coefficients. When (or , by symmetry) is a positive integer, it follows from the definition of the gamma function that : \Beta(m,n) =\fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leonhard Euler
Leonhard Euler ( ; ; ; 15 April 170718 September 1783) was a Swiss polymath who was active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, logician, geographer, and engineer. He founded the studies of graph theory and topology and made influential discoveries in many other branches of mathematics, such as analytic number theory, complex analysis, and infinitesimal calculus. He also introduced much of modern mathematical terminology and Mathematical notation, notation, including the notion of a mathematical function. He is known for his work in mechanics, fluid dynamics, optics, astronomy, and music theory. Euler has been called a "universal genius" who "was fully equipped with almost unlimited powers of imagination, intellectual gifts and extraordinary memory". He spent most of his adult life in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and in Berlin, then the capital of Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia. Euler is credited for popularizing the Greek letter \pi (lowercase Pi (letter), pi) to denote Pi, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
