Introduction to complex analysis in several variables

Publication date 12 December 2005

analytic continuation analytic sets domains of holomorphy holomorphic functions of several variables

Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to several complex variables and analytic spaces (32-01) Holomorphic functions of several complex variables (32A10) Other generalizations of function theory of one complex variable (32A30) Holomorphic functions of several complex variables (32Axx) Local analytic geometry (32Bxx) Continuation of analytic objects in several complex variables (32D15) Analytic continuation (32Dxx) Holomorphic convexity (32Exx) Holomorphic mappings, (holomorphic) embeddings and related questions in several complex variables (32H02)

Review text

The book under review provides a first introduction to the theory of functions of several complex variables. As the author points out, this text was written primarily with the actual needs of students in mind. More precisely, he wanted to keep the book short (for beginners) and affordable (for a student's budget), thereby providing a sufficiently rich supply of supporting examples and exercises in order to help the student to become familiar with this fascinating subject. Instead of representing another voluminous, encyclopedic book on complex analysis of several variables, this primer is meant to support lectures and seminars for beginners in the field, with as many concrete, illustrating examples as possible. Thus, as for the choice of contents, the author had to give priority to certain selected topics, and to leave out some other important ones, consequently. Basically, the author has chosen such topics that assume only a minimum of prerequisites from real analysis, complex analysis of one variable, and abstract algebra, and which can be developed from scratch within a strictly limited framework. In particular, there is no discussion of advanced topics from complex-analytic geometry (i.e., complex spaces, complex manifolds, analytic sheaves and their cohomology, Hodge theory, etc.) in this book, and also the treatment of pseudoconvexity is relinquished. But on the other hand, and very much so for the benefit of the beginner in the field, the author has set high value on pointing out some of the relations of complex analysis with other branches of mathematics, in particular with functional analysis and the theory of algebras. As to the precise contents, the text consists of eight chapters, each of which is subdivided into several sections. Chapter 1 presents the elementary theory of holomorphic functions in several complex variables, including the \(n\)-dimensional analogues of the fundamental theorems well-known from one-dimensional complex analysis. Chapter 2 studies extension phenomena for holomorphic functions based on the geometry of their domain of definition, with special emphasis put on circular and polycircular domains. This chapter also gives a representation-theoretic interpretation of Laurent series on Reinhardt domains and discusses, as a first application, a special case of the classical Hartogs' Kugelsatz. Chapter 3 turns to biholomorphic maps of domains in \(\mathbb{C}^n\), culminating in a brief discussion of the Riemann Mapping Problem in dimension \(n\geq 2\) and H. Cartan's uniqueness theorem for holomorphic self-mappings on bounded domains. Chapter 4 provides an introduction to analytic sets and their basic properties. As a further example of a holomorphic extension property in the higher-dimensional case, the generalization of the Riemann removable singularity theorem to analytic sets is explained at the end of this chapter. The goal of Chapter 5 is to discuss the general form of the Hartogs' Kugelsatz in full detail. This includes an introduction to the basic framework for its proof at the beginning, that is a number of sections on holomorphic differential forms, on the inhomogeneous Cauchy-Riemann differential equations, and on the Lemma of Dolbeault, respectively. Chapter 6 presents another fundamental extension theorem in \(n\)-dimensional complex analysis, namely Bochner's theorem on the continuation of holomorphic functions on tubular domains to holomorphically convex hulls. The discussion of extension phenomena for holomorphic functions in several complex variables rises to a peak in Chapter 7 entitled ``Cartan-Thullen Theory. Holomorphically convex sets, domains of holomorphy, and holomorphically convex Reinhardt domains are the main topics here, and the proof of the famous characterization theorem by H. Cartan and P. Thullen is the central result presented in this chapter. The final Chapter 8 is devoted to local properties of holomorphic functions. Among the topics treated here are: germs of holomorphic functions, the algebras of formal and convergent power series, the Weierstrass division formula, the Weierstrass preparation theorem, and Hilbert's Nullstellensatz in its analytic version. The necessary tools from functional analysis and commutative algebra are developed in the course of the discussion, thereby making also this chapter entirely self-contained. A large number of exercises enhances and completes the text, and just as many instructive examples illustrate the abstract theory. All in all, this booklet is an excellent first introduction to complex analysis of several variables for students, and a very useful source for instructors just as well. Together with the classic [``Einführung in die Funktionentheorie mehrerer Veränderlicher by \textit{H. Grauert} and \textit{K. Fritsche} (Springer Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York)(1974; Zbl 0285.32001)], which is partly complementary to the present text, the book under review is certainly one of the most recommendable handy primers of the subject. Unquestionably, the author has reached his pronounced goal of adding an example-driven introductory text (with really many working problems) to the existing literature in a more than rewarding manner.

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