Linear combinations of a class of harmonic univalent mappings

Abstract

A planar harmonic mapping is a complex-valued function f : U ? C of the form f (x + iy) = u(x,y) + iv(x,y), where u and v are both real harmonic. Such a function can be written as f = h + g?, where h and g are both analytic; the function ? = g'=h' is called the dilatation of f. We consider the linear combinations of planar harmonic mappings that are the vertical shears of the asymmetrical vertical strip mappings j(z) = 1/2isin?j log (1+zei?j/ 1+ze-i?j) with various dilatations, where ?j ? [?/2,?), j=1,2. We prove sufficient conditions for the linear combination of this class of harmonic univalent mappings to be univalent and convex in the direction of the imaginary axis.