[Math] Cauchy principal value of $\int_{- \infty}^{\infty}e^{-ax^2}\cos(2abx) \,dx$

complex-analysisimproper-integralsresidue-calculus

How do I find out the Cauchy Principal value of $\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}e^{-ax^2}\cos(2abx) \,dx\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,a,b>0$ using complex integration? The answer is $\sqrt{\frac{\pi}{a}}e^{-ab^2}$, and apparently this integral is called the Poisson integral.

My attempt: I am guessing, I compute the integral $\int_{\gamma}e^{-az^2}e^{i2abz} $, where $\gamma$ is the semicircular contour, of infinite radius. However this gives the answer zero, as there are no singularities inside the contour, so the total integral is 0. Also the integral along the semicircular arc is 0, as $|e^{-aR^2 (\cos{\theta}+i\sin{\theta})}|=e^{-aR^2\cos{\theta}}$ which tends to 0, as $R \to \infty$. Hence Jordan's Lemma implies that the integral is 0.

Where am I going wrong, any help will be appreciated.

Best Answer

Consider $f(z) = e^{-ax^2}$, and let $C$ be the rectangular contour with vertices at $-R,R,R+ib$ and $-R+ib$.
As $R \to \infty$, the two sides parallel to the imaginary axis disappear, then we have, by Cauchy's theorem:

$$ 0 = \oint_C f(z) \, dz = \int_{-\infty}^\infty f(x)\, dx + \int_{\infty}^{-\infty} e^{-a(x+ib)^2} \implies\\ \int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-ax^2 -2 a i x b +a b^2}\, dx = \int_{-\infty}^\infty f(x)\, dx = \sqrt{\frac{\pi}{a}} \implies \\ \int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-ax^2 -2 a i x b}\, dx = \sqrt{\frac{\pi}{a}}e^{-ab^2} $$

Taking real parts of both sides, the result follows.