Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / iii / Paper 203 / 1 / a / Solution

Write $\mathbb{H}=\{z:\mathrm{Im}z>0\}$. A compact H-hull is a bounded, relatively closed set $A\subseteq \mathbb{H}$ for which $D_A=\mathbb{H}\setminus A$ is a simply connected domain. “Compact” refers to its compact closure in $\overline{\mathbb{H}}$; boundary points on $\mathbb{R}$ can be adjoined without changing the remaining domain.

The Riemann mapping theorem and normalization at infinity give a unique mapping-out function of a compact H-hull $g_A:D_A\to \mathbb{H}$ with hydrodynamic normalization at infinity. By the Schwarz reflection principle outside a large disc, it has the Laurent seriesThe half-plane capacity is the coefficientThe empty compact H-hull has $g_A(z)=z$ and half-plane capacity zero. Nonnegativity follows from the Brownian representation of half-plane capacity proved next.