Use of complex conjugation in the transcendence of values of the usual exponential function (Q2483708): Difference between revisions

The starting point of the author is the following conjecture of his own: if \(u\) is a nonzero complex number, the modulus \(| u| \) of which is algebraic, then \(e^{u}\) is transcendental. This generalizes the Hermite Lindemann Theorem where the assumption is that \(u\) itself is algebraic. In connection with this conjecture, the author shows how complex conjugation can be used in transcendence theory. One of the earliest occurrence of such considerations can be traced back to \textit{K. Ramachandra's} papers [''Contributions to the theory of transcendental numbers. I, II.'' Acta Arith. 14, 65--72, 73--88 (1968; Zbl 0176.33101)]. As an illustration the author considers the following statement: if \(\alpha\) is an algebraic number not in \(\mathbb R\) nor in \(i\mathbb R\), then for all \(v\in\mathbb R\) the number \(e^{v\alpha}\) is transcendental. He first notices that this statement is a consequence of Gel'fond Schneider Theorem on the transcendence of \(a^{b}\), hence that it can be proved (using Schneider's method) without using differential equations. Next he gives a full proof where no derivative is involved and no analytic tool like Schwarz Lemma is used. He concludes by considering further consequences of Schanuel's Conjecture.