Past exam of the short options paper shared by Prelims and Parts A and B of the physics course of the University of Oxford / 2015 / S1 / 1

Choose the principal logarithm, so $L(z)=\mathrm{Log}(1-z)$ has branch cut $[1,\infty )$. Near zero its Taylor series givesThus zero is a simple pole of residue one, and one is a logarithmic branch point. The function is holomorphic on $\mathbb{C}\setminus (\{0\}\cup [1,\infty ))$ with this branch. Infinity is also a branch point in the extended-plane description; the function's decay there along the cut plane does not make it a single-valued holomorphic function through infinity.

Use the positive orientation shown in the source: the upper bank runs outwards and the lower bank returns towards one. On those banks the logarithm branch has values $\ell -i\pi$ and $\ell +i\pi$, respectively, with $\ell =\log (x-1)$. Their squared difference is $-4i\pi \ell$. The residue theorem therefore givesand henceThe large-circle contribution is $O(R^{-2}{\log }^{2}R)$ and the small circle about one contributes $O(\epsilon |\log \epsilon {|}^2)$, both tending to zero. These estimates justify replacing the closed contour integral by its two cut-bank integrals.

Take $g(z)=L(z{)}^3/z^3$ on the same logarithm branch. At zero, $L(z{)}^3=-z^3+O(z^4)$, so the apparent singularity is removable and the closed contour integral is zero. The bank difference isThe circular contributions vanish by the previous estimates with the third power of the logarithm. ConsequentlyThe last integral is $1/2$, givingIncreasing the logarithm power has converted the desired real integral into a jump across a branch cut, while removing the pole inside the contour.