Analytic continuation

An analytic continuation extends a holomorphic function through overlapping connected open sets while preserving its values on their overlap. Continuation along different paths can produce different germs when the domain contains branch points.

Zeta function regularization assigns a finite value to a divergent spectral sum by first forming a convergent complex-power series and then using its analytic continuation. For positive frequencies ${\omega }_n$, continue ${\sum }_n{\omega }_n^{-s}$ to $s=-1$ to define a regulated frequency sum, when that continuation is regular there. This does not turn the divergent positive-term sum into an ordinary convergent sum. It is a useful subtraction convention for the normal-ordering constant of a string and for vacuum energies.

For $r=n+1/2$, $n\ge 0$, the convergent frequency zeta function, expressed through the Riemann zeta function, is ${\sum }_r{r}^{-s}=(2^s-1){\zeta }_R(s)$ when $\mathrm{Re}s>1$. Its analytic continuation at $s=-1$ gives $(1/2-1)(-1/12)=1/24$. A common exponential frequency cutoff gives ${\sum }_{r}r{e}^{-\epsilon r}={\epsilon }^{-2}+1/24+O({\epsilon }^2)$, so the same finite part follows by subtracting the leading divergence. In contrast, integer frequencies have regulated sum $-1/12$.

A meromorphic continuation extends a holomorphic function from a connected open set to a larger connected domain as a meromorphic function, allowing isolated poles. Equality on the initial open set determines the extension uniquely by the identity theorem. Integral formulas whose integrands depend holomorphically on a parameter often supply such an extension after contour deformation or subtraction of singular terms.

As distributions on the real line,The Sokhotski--Plemelj formula relates the two boundary values of a Cauchy transform across its contour and fixes the spectral delta functions generated by retarded and advanced prescriptions.

If a function element can be analytically continued along every path in a domain, continuation along two endpoint-fixed homotopic paths gives the same terminal germ.

For a covering $p:X\to Y$ and base point $y$, lifting loops based at $y$ permutes the fibre $p^{-1}(y)$. The image ofis the monodromy group.

A connected three-sheeted cover has transitive monodromy. If it also has a simple branch point, its monodromy contains a transposition and must be the full symmetric group on three letters. A local triple branch supplies a three-cycle explicitly.

The degree-four rational map $F(z)=z^2+z^{-2}$ has branch values $-2,2,\infty$. Away from their inverse images, the transformationsare commuting deck involutions. They generate a Klein four-group acting transitively on each fibreConsequently the monodromy group is $V_4$, acting by the identity and the three double transpositions.

If a parameter-dependent contour integral has a moving pole, deforming the integration contour continuously so that the pole never crosses it preserves a holomorphic branch. Returning the contour to its original path after crossing a pole adds or subtracts the corresponding residue contribution.

The solutions of $\sinh w=z$ arefor any chosen local branch $\mathrm{Arcsinh}$.