Riemann zeta function has no zeros on ℜ⁡s=0,1


This article shows that the Riemann zeta functionMathworldPlanetmath ζ⁢(s) has no zeros along the lines ℜ⁡s=0 or ℜ⁡s=1. That implies that all nontrivial zeros of ζ⁢(s) lie strictly within the critical stripMathworldPlanetmath 0<ℜ⁡s<1. As the article points out, this is known to be equivalent to one version of the prime number theoremMathworldPlanetmath.

It can in fact be shown that ζ⁢(s)≠0 for any s=σ+i⁢t with 0<σ<1 if

σ≥1-clog⁡(|t|+1)

for some constant c. By using the functional equation

π-s2⁢Γ⁢(s2)⁢ζ⁢(s)=π-1-s2⁢Γ⁢(1-s2)⁢ζ⁢(1-s)

we have also that ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t)≠0 if

σ≤clog⁡(|t|+1)

Bounding the zeros of ζ⁢(s) away from ℜ⁡s=0, 1 leads to a version of the prime number theorem with more precise error terms.

Theorem 1

ζ⁢(1+i⁢t)≠0 for t∈R.

Proof. Notice that for θ∈ℂ

0≤2⁢(1+cos⁡θ)2=2⁢cos2⁡θ+4⁢cos⁡θ+2=3+4⁢cos⁡θ+cos⁡(2⁢θ) (1)

If σ=ℜ⁡s>1, then ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t)=∏p⁢ prime(1-p-σ-i⁢t)-1, so that

log⁡ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t)=-∑p⁢ primelog⁡(1-p-σ-i⁢t)=∑p⁢ prime∑m=1∞1m⁢p-m⁢σ-i⁢m⁢t

and thus

log⁡|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t)|=∑p⁢ prime∑m=1∞1m⁢pm⁢σ⁢cos⁡(m⁢t⁢log⁡p)

since the log of the absolute valueMathworldPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmath is the real partMathworldPlanetmath of the log.

Using equation (1), we then have

3⁢log⁡ζ⁢(σ)+ 4⁢log⁡|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t)|+log⁡|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢2⁢t)|
=∑p⁢ prime∑m=1∞1m⁢pm⁢σ⁢(3+4⁢cos⁡(m⁢t⁢log⁡p)+cos⁡(2⁢m⁢t⁢log⁡p))≥0

so that

ζ⁢(σ)3⁢|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t)|4⁢|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t⋅2)|≥1⁢ for all ⁢σ>1,t∈ℝ (2)

But if ζ has a zero at σ+i⁢t0, then

limσ→1+⁡ζ⁢(σ)3⁢|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢t0)|4⁢|ζ⁢(σ+i⁢2⁢t)|=0

since the first factor gives a pole (http://planetmath.org/Pole) of order 3 at 1 and the second factor gives a zero of order at least 4 at 1+i⁢t0. This contradicts equation (2).

Corollary 1

ζ⁢(i⁢t)≠0 for t∈R.

Proof.  Use the functional equation

π-s2⁢Γ⁢(s2)⁢ζ⁢(s)=π-1-s2⁢Γ⁢(1-s2)⁢ζ⁢(1-s)

and set s=i⁢t. The theorem implies that the RHS is nonzero, so the LHS is as well. Thus ζ⁢(s)≠0.

Title Riemann zeta function has no zeros on ℜ⁡s=0,1
Canonical name RiemannZetaFunctionHasNoZerosOnReS01
Date of creation 2013-03-22 17:54:37
Last modified on 2013-03-22 17:54:37
Owner rm50 (10146)
Last modified by rm50 (10146)
Numerical id 5
Author rm50 (10146)
Entry type Theorem
Classification msc 11M06