Let be the Mertens function. Partial summation gives
For any , choose a sufficiently small with . The assumed bound makes the boundary term tend to zero and makes the integral absolutely convergent. Moreover, on each compact set of this half-plane, one can choose the same , so the integral has locally uniform convergence. Hence
is a holomorphic function on , agreeing with the reciprocal Dirichlet series from part (b) on .
The identity theorem applied to the holomorphic functions and extends their equality throughout ; the assumed simple pole makes the first function holomorphic at . Thus away from , proving a zero-free half-plane:
To obtain the strongest symmetric conclusion, use the following basic facts explicitly: the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function gives the entire function with , and the trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function are the negative even integers. Every Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function is therefore accompanied by its reflection . A Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function with real part below would reflect to one above , which is impossible. Consequently all nontrivial zeros lie in the closed strip
The in the hypothesis prevents this argument from excluding either boundary line; the trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function remain present.
Use the Fourier transform normalization . A precise version of the Poisson summation formula is that, for every Schwartz function ,
Both series have absolute convergence. Here being a Schwartz function means being smooth with for all nonnegative integers . This hypothesis makes the sums and the termwise operations below legitimate; the formula is not being asserted for arbitrary integrable functions.
Form the periodization of a Schwartz function . Every differentiated series has uniform convergence on , by rapid decay, so is a smooth periodic function of period one. Its th Fourier coefficient is
The interchange follows from absolute convergence uniformly on this interval. Integration by parts shows that these Fourier coefficients decrease faster than every inverse power of . Thus the Fourier series converges absolutely and uniformly to ; for example the standard convergence theorem for twice continuously differentiable periodic functions applies. Evaluating at zero proves the Poisson summation formula.
For , scaling the given Gaussian Fourier transform gives
Applying the Poisson summation formula gives the real-parameter Jacobi theta function transformation
For , termwise application of the Mellin transform is justified by integrating absolute values and gives
Each positive contributes , and the factor one half removes the equal positive and negative terms. This is the Mellin representation of the completed Riemann zeta function.
Split the integral at one. On , the Jacobi theta function transformation writes . Integrating the first two terms and substituting in the third yields the pole-subtracted theta integral for the completed zeta function:
The remaining integral is an entire function of : , and on each compact set of this exponential dominates all powers of and all factors arising from differentiation. It therefore supplies a meromorphic continuation of to the whole plane, with simple poles at one and zero, of residues and , respectively. Its expression is unchanged by .
The reciprocal Gamma function is entire, with simple zeros at its nonpositive integer arguments. Consequently
is holomorphic everywhere except for a simple pole at , of residue one. The apparent pole at cancels; in fact gives . This proves the analytic continuation of the Riemann zeta function. The completed functional equation of the Riemann zeta function is
These are equalities of meromorphic functions; at apparent singularities they are interpreted by continuation. Equivalently, is an entire function with .
The functional equation is
Equivalently,
For a proof, let
The Poisson summation formula applied to a Gaussian function gives the theta transformation
The standard Gamma function integral and termwise integration initially give, for ,
Split the integral at one, substitute in the lower half, and use the theta transformation. The result is
The integral is an entire function of because decays exponentially. The right side is visibly invariant under , proving both the analytic continuation and the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function. This is the Mellin representation of the completed Riemann zeta function.
Assume first the Riemann hypothesis. Replace any by ; then and . Take in part a. Every nontrivial zero has real part , and the Riemann–von Mangoldt formula implies
Consequently
while both truncation errors in part a are . Thus
which implies the stated estimate.
Conversely, suppose that estimate holds for every . For , partial summation gives
Given any with , choose . The error hypothesis makes the last integral locally uniformly convergent there, so it supplies a holomorphic continuation of
to the half-plane . A zero of in that half-plane would create a pole of its logarithmic derivative, so none exists. The functional equation of the Riemann zeta function reflects every nontrivial zero with real part below to one above . All nontrivial zeros must therefore lie on the critical line, proving the Riemann hypothesis equivalence for the second Chebyshev function.
Put
For , partial summation gives
The last integral is holomorphic for . Thus the logarithmic derivative on the left continues meromorphically to that half-plane with no pole except .
A zero of with would make singular at , a contradiction unless , which is a pole rather than a zero. Therefore no nontrivial zero lies to the right of the critical line. The functional equation of the Riemann zeta function reflects zeros across that line, so none lies to its left either. Every nontrivial zero lies on the critical line, proving the Riemann hypothesis. This is the Twisted Von Mangoldt estimate implying the Riemann hypothesis.
The symmetric form of the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function is
The complex conjugation identity and the functional equation show that every Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function is accompanied by , , and .
Let be the given nonreal zero. If , use itself; if , use , whose real part is . The resulting zero cannot have real part greater than one, by the stated zero-free half-plane. It therefore has real part in .
Write for the Mertens function. Suppose, to the contrary, that for some the quotient were bounded. Partial summation would then make
converge and define a holomorphic function throughout . In the Euler product identifies this function with , so analytic continuation would make holomorphic in that larger half-plane.
By assumption, has a nontrivial zero. The functional equation of the Riemann zeta function reflects one of that zero and its partner into , where must have a pole, a contradiction. Thus is unbounded, which gives an exceeding any prescribed constant .
Pole-subtracted theta integral for the completed zeta function Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-07
Let , with . Exponential decay makes an entire function. The Jacobi theta function transformation and a substitution in the Mellin transform give
This continues the completed Riemann zeta function meromorphically, with residues and at and , and makes the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function immediate. Dividing by the Gamma function removes the apparent pole at zero from .