[Math] Why do all circles passing through $a$ and $1/\bar{a}$ meet $|z|=1$ are right angles

analytic geometrycomplex numbers

In the complex plane, I write the equation for a circle centered at $z$ by $|z-x|=r$, so $(z-x)(\bar{z}-\bar{x})=r^2$. I suppose that both $a$ and $1/\bar{a}$ lie on this circle, so I get the equation
$$
(z-a)(\bar{z}-\bar{a})=(z-1/\bar{a})(\bar{z}-1/a).
$$

My idea to show that the circles intersect at right angles is to show that the radii at the point of intersection are at right angles, which is the case when the sum of the squares of the lengths of the radii of the circles is the square of the distance to the center of the circle passing through $a$ and $1/\bar{a}$. However, I'm having trouble finding a workable situation, since I don't think there is not a unique circle passing through $a$ and $1/\bar{a}$ to give a center to work with. What's the right way to do this?

Best Answer

Let the circle be $|z-b|=r$. Then $$|a-b|^2 = |1/\bar a - b|^2 = r^2.$$ Expand to get $$ |a|^2 - 2 \Re(\bar ab) + |b|^2 = r2,\qquad 1/|a|^2 - 2\Re(b/a) + |b|^2 = r^2.$$

Compare to get $$ 2\Re[(|a|^2-1)b/a] = 2\Re(\bar ab - b/a) = |a|^2 - 1/|a|^2.$$

It is clear that $|a|\neq 1$; otherwise $a = 1/\bar a$. So $$ 2\Re(b/a) = 1+ 1/|a|^2.$$

Substitute back to see $$|b|^2 = r^2+1.$$

On the other hand, let $z_0$ be an intersection of the two circles: $$ |z_0-b|=r,\qquad |z_0|=1.$$ Expand to get $$ r^2 = |z_0|^2 - 2\Re(\bar z_0b) + |b|^2 = 1 -2\Re(b/z_0) + |b|^2.$$ It follows that $$ \Re[(z_0-b)/z_0] = 1-\Re(b/z_0) = 1 + (r^1-1-|b|^2)/2 = 0.$$ The radii from $z_0$ to $0$ and from $z_0$ to $b$ are orthogonal. So the two circles intersect at right angles.