Sharp gradient bound for positive harmonic functions
ID: sharp-gradient-bound-for-positive-harmonic-functions
For a positive harmonic function on the unit disc, choose a global harmonic conjugate and apply the Carathéodory derivative bound for the right half-plane to . This gives by the Cauchy-Riemann equations. A disk automorphism sending zero to has derivative modulus , so the chain rule gives the displayed bound. Composing a boundary-pole Poisson kernel with a disk automorphism attains equality, proving the coefficient is optimal at every point.
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