M BUZZ CRAZE NEWS
// general

Holomorphic at infinity (definition)

By David Jones
$\begingroup$

I struggle quite a bit with the usage of $\infty$ in complex analysis. In some cases, I can translate a definition involving infinity to equivalent statements using limits, or in the case of continuity I just make use of the topology defined on the Riemann sphere.

However, what I don't understand is why the notion of differentiability is defined at the point infinity. A function $f(z)$ is said to be holomorphic at $\infty$ if $f(1/z)$ is holomorphic at $z=0$. Same can be said about singularities. I just don't see why we would do this. For instance, when I'm asked to determine singularities, it often forget to check the point $\infty$, because the definition feels so arbitrary: yea, let's check this random point which is actually a limit, and then somehow that tells us something?

My source of confusion lies in the fact that I don't see why being holomorphic at $\infty$ tells us anything (well, I guess, besides that our function is bounded). I understand that being holomorphic around some complex number $a$ is useful, as we can then write our function as a power series around $a$, of in the case of isolated singularities, we can work with Laurent expansion. But we don't have these things when it comes down to $\infty$ (except when we switch to $f(1/z)$, but that's a whole different function now, no?)

I hope someone understands my confusion and could shed some light on this issue.

$\endgroup$ 5 Reset to default

Know someone who can answer? Share a link to this question via email, Twitter, or Facebook.

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Sign up using Google Sign up using Facebook Sign up using Email and Password

Post as a guest

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy