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The function $\log |z|$ is harmonic on the punctured complex plane, but it is not globally the real part of a holomorphic function there. Such a function would have derivative $1/z$, whose integral around the unit circle is $2\pi i$, whereas the integral of a derivative around a closed curve is zero.

Take the unit circle $\gamma (t)=e^{it}$, $0\le t\le 2\pi$, in the punctured complex plane. Direct parameter integration givesA global holomorphic antiderivative would make this integral zero by the previous part. Thus there is no such antiderivative on the punctured plane. Local primitives can exist without combining into one single-valued function on this domain.

If a holomorphic function $g$ on the punctured complex plane satisfied $e^{g(z)}=z$, the chain rule would give $e^{g(z)}{g}^{\prime }(z)=1$, hence $g^{\prime }(z)=1/z$. This contradicts the previous part. Therefore there is no global holomorphic logarithm on the punctured plane. A branch of the complex logarithm requires a suitable smaller domain.

Take the punctured complex planeandIn polar coordinates, $u(r,\theta )=\log r$, soThus $u$ is harmonic on $D$.

If $u=\mathrm{Re}f$ for a holomorphic function $f$, the calculation from part (a) would giveThe integral of a derivative around a closed curve is zero, whereas the residue theorem givesThis contradiction proves that no such $f$ exists. It is precisely the log modulus has no global harmonic conjugate on the punctured plane obstruction.

The derivative of an analytic function must be independent of the direction of approach. Taking a real increment gives $f^{\prime }(z)=u_x+i{v}_x$; taking an imaginary increment givesEquality of real and imaginary parts proves the Cauchy-Riemann equations:A real harmonic function is a twice continuously differentiable function whose Laplacian vanishes. For the given logarithmic function and $x^2+y^2>0$,It is therefore harmonic everywhere on the punctured complex plane.

On any domain admitting a branch of the complex logarithm, chooseIts derivatives are $v_x=-2y/(x^2+y^2)$ and $v_y=2x/(x^2+y^2)$, as required. For example, the principal complex logarithm gives such a harmonic conjugate on the plane cut along the negative real axis.

There is no single-valued harmonic conjugate on the whole punctured plane. Indeed its putative differential would satisfywhereas a globally defined function has zero integral of its differential around a closed curve. This is the log modulus has no global harmonic conjugate on the punctured plane obstruction. Thus the conjugate requested in the question must be interpreted locally or on a cut plane.

The identity theorem states that if two holomorphic functions on a connected open set agree at a sequence of distinct points with an accumulation point inside that set, then they agree everywhere on it. Equivalently, the zeros of a holomorphic function which is not identically zero cannot accumulate inside its domain.

Because $f,g$ never vanish, their logarithmic derivatives are holomorphic. The holomorphic functionvanishes at every $a_n$. Since the distinct $a_n$ converge to $a\in U$, the identity theorem gives $H\equiv 0$. Applying the quotient rule now givesA holomorphic function with zero derivative on a domain is constant. One can see this locally from its Taylor series, then propagate the constant using connectedness. Hence $f/g=c$ on $U$, with $c\ne 0$, andThe conclusion can fail if the accumulation occurs outside $U$. Take the punctured complex plane $U=\mathbb{C}\setminus \{0\}$ andBoth functions are nowhere vanishing and holomorphic on $U$, and $a_n\to 0\notin U$. The chain rule givesso these logarithmic derivatives agree at every $a_n$. However, $f$ is not constant: for example $f(1/\pi )=e^{-1}$ and $f(1/(2\pi ))=e$. Therefore no constant $c$ gives $f=cg$.

On the slit domain $D$, choose the complex argument $\theta ={\mathrm{Arg}}_{(0,2\pi )}z$. The resulting holomorphic logarithm is $L(z)=\log |z|+i\theta$, with $L^{\prime }(z)=1/z$. DefineIt is holomorphic as a composition of holomorphic functions, and $f(z{)}^2=e^{L(z)}=z$. At $z=-1$ the chosen argument is $\pi$, so $f(-1)=i$.

Suppose a holomorphic square root $g$ existed on the whole punctured complex plane. It would be nonzero, and differentiating $g^2=z$ would give $2g{g}^{\prime }=1$. There are several ways to express the resulting obstruction; a direct one uses the unit circle. SetThe chain rule and $g^{\prime }(z)=g(z)/(2z)$ imply $q^{\prime }(t)=0$, so $q$ is constant. ButThese cannot agree because $g(1{)}^2=1$. Thus no such global holomorphic square root exists. Going once around zero changes the sign of the locally chosen root.