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[parent] Fresnel formulas (Theorem)

$$\int_0^\infty\!\cos{x^2}\,dx \,=\, \int_0^\infty\!\sin{x^2}\,dx \,=\, \frac{\sqrt{2\pi}}{4}$$

Proof.


\begin{pspicture}(-1,-1)(6.2,4.2) \psaxes[Dx=10,Dy=10]{->}(0,0)(-1,-1)(6,4) \rpu... ...blue,linewidth=0.04]{->}(0,0){5}{-1}{45} \psarc(0,0){0.5}{0}{45} \end{pspicture}

The function $\displaystyle z \mapsto e^{-z^2}$ is entire, whence by the fundamental theorem of complex analysis we have

$\displaystyle \oint_\gamma e^{-z^2}\,dz \;=\; 0$ (1)

where $\gamma$ is the perimeter of the circular sector described in the picture. We split this contour integral to three portions:
$\displaystyle \underbrace{\int_0^R\!e^{-x^2}\,dx}_{I_1}+\underbrace{\int_b\!e^{-z^2}\,dz}_{I_2} +\underbrace{\int_s\!e^{-z^2}\,dz}_{I_3} \,=\,0$ (2)

By the entry concerning the Gaussian integral, we know that $$\lim_{R\to\infty}I_1 = \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}.$$

For handling $I_2$ , we use the substitution $$z \,:=\, Re^{i\varphi} = R(\cos\varphi+i\sin\varphi), \quad dz \,=\,iRe^{i\varphi}\,d\varphi \quad (0 \leqq \varphi \leqq \frac{\pi}{4}).$$ Using also de Moivre's formula we can write $$|I_2| = \left|iR\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}}e^{-R^2(\cos2\varphi+i\sin2\varphi)}e^{i\varphi}d\varphi\right| \leqq R\!\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}}\left|e^{-R^2(\cos2\varphi+i\sin2\varphi)}\right|\cdot\left|e^{i\varphi}\right|\cdot|d\varphi| = R\!\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}}e^{-R^2\cos2\varphi}d\varphi.$$ Comparing the graph of the function $\varphi \mapsto \cos2\varphi$ with the line through the points $(0,\,1)$ and $(\frac{\pi}{4},\,0)$ allows us to estimate $\cos2\varphi$ downwards: $$\cos2\varphi \geqq 1\!-\!\frac{4\varphi}{\pi} \quad\mbox{for}\quad 0 \leqq \varphi \leqq \frac{\pi}{4}$$ Hence we obtain $$|I_2| \leqq R\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}}\frac{d\varphi}{e^{R^2\cos2\varphi}} \leqq R\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}}\frac{d\varphi}{e^{R^2(1-\frac{4\varphi}{\pi})}} \leqq \frac{R}{e^{R^2}} \int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}} e^{\frac{4R^2}{\pi}\varphi} d\varphi,$$ and moreover $$|I_2| \leqq \frac{\pi}{4Re^{R^2}}(e^{R^2}-1) < \frac{\pi e^{R^2}}{4Re^{R^2}} = \frac{\pi}{4R} \; \to 0 \quad \mbox{as} \quad R \to \infty.$$ Therefore $$\lim_{R\to\infty}I_2 = 0.\\$$

Then make to $I_3$ the substitution $$z \;:=\; \frac{1\!+\!i}{\sqrt{2}}t, \quad dz \,=\, \frac{1\!+\!i}{\sqrt{2}}dt \quad(R \geqq t \geqq 0).$$ It yields

$\displaystyle I_3$ $\displaystyle \quad = \frac{1\!+\!i}{\sqrt{2}}\int_R^0e^{-it^2}\,dt = -\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\int_0^R(1+i)(\cos{t^2}-i\sin{t^2})\,dt$    
  $\displaystyle \quad = -\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left(\int_0^R\sin{t^2}\,dt+\int_0^R\c... ...t) +\frac{i}{\sqrt{2}}\left(\int_0^R\sin{t^2}\,dt-\int_0^R\cos{t^2}\,dt\right).$    

Thus, letting $R \to \infty$ , the equation (2) implies
$\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}\!+\!0\! -\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left(\int_0^\inf... ...eft(\int_0^\infty\!\sin{t^2}\,dt-\!\int_0^\infty\!\cos{t^2}\,dt\right) \;=\; 0.$ (3)

Because the imaginary part vanishes, we infer that $\int_0^\infty\cos{x^2}\,dx = \int_0^\infty\sin{x^2}\,dx$ , whence (3) reads $$\frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}+0-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\!\cdot\!2\!\int_0^\infty\!\sin{t^2}\,dt \,=\, 0.$$ So we get also the result $\int_0^\infty\sin{x^2}\,dx = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}\cdot\frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2} = \frac{\sqrt{2\pi}}{4}$ , Q.E.D.




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See Also: using residue theorem near branch point

Other names:  Fresnel formulae, Fresnel integrals at infinity

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Cross-references: estimate, points, line, graph, de Moivre's formula, Gaussian integral, contour integral, sector, circular, fundamental theorem of complex analysis, entire, function, proof
There are 3 references to this entry.

This is version 7 of Fresnel formulas, born on 2008-09-02, modified 2009-03-23.
Object id is 10980, canonical name is FresnelFormulas.
Accessed 1559 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC26A36 (Real functions :: Functions of one variable :: Antidifferentiation)
 26B15 (Real functions :: Functions of several variables :: Integration: length, area, volume)

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