TITLE: Transformation of $|z-1|=1$ and $\mathrm{Re}(z)^2 = \mathrm{Im }(z)^2-1$ under $f(z) = \sqrt{z}$
QUESTION [5 upvotes]: I have two regions in the complex plane, defined by
$|z-1|=1$ and $(\,\mathrm{Im}(z))^2 = (\,\mathrm{Re}(z))^2-1$, $\mathrm{Re}(z)>0$. 
I am being asked to find and sketch the image of those regions  under the mapping $f(z) = \sqrt{z}$ . 
My attempt
We have $f(z) = \sqrt{r}e^{i\frac{\theta}{2}}$ and $|z-1|=1 \iff r = 2\cos(\theta)$
If $|z-1|=1 $, then:
 $$f(z) =  \sqrt{2|\cos(\theta)|}\cos\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right) + 
i\sqrt{2|\cos(\theta)|}\sin\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right)$$
It means that $f(z)$ lies on the trace of the curve $\left(\sqrt{2|\cos(\theta)|}\cos\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right); 
\sqrt{2|\cos(\theta)|}\sin\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right) \right)$ if $|z-1| = 1.$
Am I right so far?
I couldn't recognize this plane curve.
And I don't know how to proceed in the region  $(\,\mathrm{Im}(z))^2 = (\,\mathrm{Re}(z))^2-1$.
How can I do it?

REPLY [3 votes]: $|z-1|=1$ is the circle with center $(1,0)$, thus $z=(\cos\theta+1)+i\sin\theta$. In polar coordinates, you have $z=\big(\sqrt{(1+\cos\theta)^2+\sin\theta^2}\big)e^{i\theta}=\big(\sqrt{2+2\cos\theta}\big)e^{i\theta}$. Thus:

$$f(z)=\big( \root4\of{2+2\cos\theta} \big)e^{\frac{i\theta}{2}}$$
A numerical approach showed it should look like a flower with 4 petals.


$(\Im(z))^2=(\Re(z))^2-1$ in polar coordinates yields:

$$r^2\sin^2\theta=r^2\cos^2\theta-1\implies r^2\cos2\theta=1$$
Thus $r=\sqrt{1-\cos2\theta}$, so $z=\big(\sqrt{1-\cos2\theta}\big)e^{i\theta}$. Then, applying $f$:
$$f(z)=\big(\root4\of{(1-\cos2\theta)}\big)e^{\frac{i\theta}{2}}$$
Numerical results shows that it should look like an $8$.

For sketching, calculating a few points might come in handy:

For which values of $\theta$ does the graph cross the real axis and the imaginary axis?
For which values of $\theta$ does the graph cross the origin?
For which values of $\theta$ does it attain maximums and minimums (that is, $\frac{dy}{dx}=0$)?
For which values of $\theta$ do we have vertical slope (that is, $\frac{dx}{dy}=0$)?

Plot those points into the plane and draw a line that passes through each point in increasing order of $\theta$.
Note that for the last 2 types of points, $x=\Re(f(z))$ and $y=\Im(f(z))$; so, you can use parametric derivatives with respect to $\theta$.