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The absolute value of the Gamma function. This shows that a function becomes infinite at the poles (left). On the right, the Gamma function does not have poles, it just increases quickly.

In the mathematical field of complex analysis, a pole of a meromorphic function is a certain type of singularity that behaves like the singularity of $\scriptstyle \frac{1}{z^n}$ at z = 0. For a pole of the function f(z) at point a the function approaches infinity as z approaches a.

## Definition

Formally, suppose U is an open subset of the complex plane C, a is an element of U and f : U \ {a} → C is a function which is holomorphic over its domain. If there exists a holomorphic function g : UC and a positive integer n, such that for all z in U \ {a}

$f(z) = \frac{g(z)}{(z-a)^n}$

holds, then a is called a pole of f. The smallest such n is called the order of the pole. A pole of order 1 is called a simple pole.

A few authors allow the order of a pole to be zero, in which case a pole of order zero is either a regular point or a removable singularity. However, it is more usual to require the order of a pole to be positive.

From above several equivalent characterizations can be deduced:

If n is the order of pole a, then necessarily g(a) ≠ 0 for the function g in the above expression. So we can put

$f(z) = \frac{1}{h(z)}$

for some h that is holomorphic in an open neighborhood of a and has a zero of order n at a. So informally one might say that poles occur as reciprocals of zeros of holomorphic functions.

Also, by the holomorphy of g, f can be expressed as:

$f(z) = \frac{a_{-n}}{ (z - a)^n } + \cdots + \frac{a_{-1}}{ (z - a) } + \sum_{k\, \geq \,0} a_k (z - a)^k.$

This is a Laurent series with finite principal part. The holomorphic function $\scriptstyle \sum_{k\,\ge\,0} a_k(z\, - \,a)^k$ (on U) is called the regular part of f. So the point a is a pole of order n of f if and only if all the terms in the Laurent series expansion of f around a below degree −n vanish and the term in degree −n is not zero.

## Pole at infinity

A complex function can be defined as having a pole at the point at infinity. In this case U has to be a neighborhood of infinity, such as the exterior of any closed ball. To use the previous definition, a meaning for g being holomorphic at ∞ is needed. Alternately, a definition can be given starting from the definition at a finite point by suitably mapping the point at infinity to a finite point. The map $\scriptstyle z \mapsto \frac{1}{z}$ does that. Then, by definition, a function f holomorphic in a neighborhood of infinity has a pole at infinity if the function $\scriptstyle f(\frac{1}{z})$ (which will be holomorphic in a neighborhood of $\scriptstyle z = 0$), has a pole at $\scriptstyle z = 0$, the order of which will be regarded as the order of the pole of f at infinity.

## Pole of a function on a complex manifold

In general, having a function $\scriptstyle f:\; M\, \rightarrow \,\mathbb{C}$ that is holomorphic in a neighborhood, $\scriptstyle U$, of the point $\scriptstyle a$, in the complex manifold M, it is said that f has a pole at a of order n if, having a chart $\scriptstyle \phi:\; U\, \rightarrow \,\mathbb{C}$, the function $\scriptstyle f\, \circ \,\phi^{-1}:\; \mathbb{C}\, \rightarrow \,\mathbb{C}$ has a pole of order n at $\scriptstyle \phi(a)$ (which can be taken as being zero if a convenient choice of the chart is made). ] The pole at infinity is the simplest nontrivial example of this definition in which M is taken to be the Riemann sphere and the chart is taken to be $\scriptstyle \phi(z)\, = \,\frac{1}{z}$.

## Examples

• The function
$f(z) = \frac{3}{z}$
has a pole of order 1 or simple pole at $\scriptstyle z\, = \,0$.
• The function
$f(z) = \frac{z+2}{(z-5)^2(z+7)^3}$
has a pole of order 2 at $\scriptstyle z\, = \,5$ and a pole of order 3 at $\scriptstyle z\, = \,-7$.
• The function
$f(z) = \frac{z-4}{e^z-1}$
has poles of order 1 at $\scriptstyle z\, = \,2\pi ni\text{ for } n\, = \,\dots,\, -1,\, 0,\, 1,\, \dots.$ To see that, write $\scriptstyle e^z$ in Taylor series around the origin.
• The function
$f(z) = z$
has a single pole at infinity of order 1.

## Terminology and generalisations

If the first derivative of a function f has a simple pole at a, then a is a branch point of f. (The converse need not be true).

A non-removable singularity that is not a pole or a branch point is called an essential singularity.

A complex function which is holomorphic except for some isolated singularities and whose only singularities are poles is called meromorphic.

 781 videos foundNext >
 Complex Analysis: Orders of Zeros and Poles Mod-1 Lec-6 Zeros, Singularities and PolesLecture series on Mathematics-II by Dr.Tanuja Srivastava, Department of Mathematics, IIT Roorkee. For more details on NPTEL visit http://nptel.iitm.ac.in. 2553 Math II lecture 14 chapter 6.4 zeros and poles part 4-4.aviComplex Analysis, zeros and poles, essential singularity, removable singularity, simple pole, pole of order n. Complex Analysis: Residue Formula for Poles 2553 Math II lecture 14 chapter 6.4 zeros and poles part 3-4.aviComplex Analysis, zeros and poles, essential singularity, removable singularity, simple pole, pole of order n. 2553 Math II lecture 14 chapter 6.4 zeros and poles part 2-4.aviComplex Analysis, zeros and poles, essential singularity, removable singularity, simple pole, pole of order n. 2553 Math II lecture 14 chapter 6.4 zeros and poles part 1-4.aviComplex Analysis, zeros and poles, essential singularity, removable singularity, simple pole, pole of order n. MH2801 Calculating Residues at PolesIn this video segment, I show the standard shortcut for calculating the residue at a given pole, of order 1, as well as of order m. Part I: Complex Variables, Lec 4: Sequences and SeriesPart I: Complex Variables, Lecture 4: Sequences and Series Instructor: Herbert Gross View the complete course: http://ocw.mit.edu/RES18-008F11 License: Creat... 2553 Math II lecture 14 chapter 6.5 residues and residue theorem part 4-5.aviComplex Analysis, Residues, Cauchy Residue Theorem, simple pole, pole of order n.
 781 videos foundNext >

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