Questions tagged [operator-theory]

Spectrum, resolvent, numerical range, functional calculus, operator semigroups. Special classes of operators: compact, Fredholm, dissipative, differential, integral, pseudodifferential, etc.

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Intuitive explanation why "shadow operator" $\frac D{e^D-1}$ connects logarithms with trigonometric functions?

Consider the operator $\frac D{e^D-1}$ which we will call "shadow": $$\frac {D}{e^D-1}f(x)=\frac1{2 \pi }\int_{-\infty }^{+\infty } e^{-iwx}\frac{-iw}{e^{-i w}-1}\int_{-\infty }^{+\infty } e^...
Anixx's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
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What's the matrix of logarithm of derivative operator ($\ln D$)? What is the role of this operator in various math fields?

Babusci and Dattoli, On the logarithm of the derivative operator, arXiv:1105.5978, gives some great results: \begin{align*} (\ln D) 1 & {}= -\ln x -\gamma \\ (\ln D) x^n & {}= x^n (\psi (n+1)-\...
Anixx's user avatar
  • 9,306
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Ramanujan's Master Formula: A proof and relation to umbral calculus

The Ramanujan's master theorem states that: $$ \int_0^{\infty}x^{s-1}\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\frac{(-1)^n}{n!}a_nx^ndx=\Gamma(s)a_{-s} $$ I found a really strange proof recently on a personal blog: Define $...
FFjet's user avatar
  • 282
9 votes
2 answers
871 views

Harmonic oscillator discrete spectrum

Let us act intentionally stupid and assume we do not know that we can solve for the spectrum of the harmonic oscillator $$-\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+x^2$$ explicitly. Is there an abstract argument why the ...
Zinkin's user avatar
  • 491
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

Comparing norms on tensor products of matrices

Given a Hilbert space $H$, let $S_1(H)$ denote the space of trace-class operators on $H$, with the trace-class norm or Schatten 1-norm. That is $$ \Vert T \Vert_1 = \sum_{j\geq 1} |s_j| $$ where $(s_1,...
R.N's user avatar
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6 votes
4 answers
2k views

Dixmier's lemma as a generalisation of Schur's first lemma

I thought that this question is simple, and asked it at Stackexchange. To my surprise, no one was able to answer it there. Now have to elevate it to Overflow. What mathematicians call Schur's lemma ...
Michael_1812's user avatar
39 votes
3 answers
13k views

Is the Invariant Subspace Problem interesting?

There's an amusing comment in Peter Lax's Functional Analysis book. After a brief description of the Invariant Subspace Problem, he says (paraphrasing) "...this question is still open. It is also an ...
William DeMeo's user avatar
34 votes
1 answer
3k views

tr(ab)=tr(ba), part 2.

This is a Banach space version of Andre Henriques' question Trace Question for Hilbert spaces. Let $a:X\to Y$ and $b:Y\to X$ be bounded linear operators between Banach spaces s.t. $ba$ and $ab$ ...
Bill Johnson's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
702 views

A neat evaluation of an infinite matrix?

Let $M_n$ be an $n\times n$ matrix defined as $$M_n =\left[\frac{2i+1}{2(i+j+1)}\binom{i-1/2}i\binom{j-1/2}jx^{i+j+1}\right]_{i,j=0}^n.$$ With $I_n$ the identity matrix, consider $A_n:=I_n-M_n^2$. ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
873 views

Continuity of the product map

Let $A$ be a $C^*$-algebra. Is it possible to characterize $A$ for which the product map defined by $$\sum\limits_{i=1}^n a_i\otimes b_i \mapsto \sum\limits_{i=1}^n a_i b_i$$ is continuous with ...
Kate Juschenko's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Differentiation of functions over graphs

In short: There are various ways to define differentiation over a graph. I am trying to get the big picture, like a more complete and structured bestiary. Definitions. Let $G=(V,E)$ be a directed ...
Matthieu Latapy's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
916 views

A problem in functional calculus

This is embarrassing, I think it must work, but I can't see how to prove it works. If anyone knows enough functional calculus of operators on a Hilbert space to tell me how to do it, I would be very ...
Edwin Beggs's user avatar
  • 1,213
6 votes
1 answer
746 views

An equivalence relation on the space of polynomials in one complex variable

Let $P(z)$ be a polynomial with complex variable $z$. We consider the following distribution for the roots of $P(z)=0$: the distribution is a triple $(n_{1},n_{2},n_{3})$ where these integers are ...
Ali Taghavi's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
662 views

Is there an operator algebraic reformulation of the invariant subspace problem?

Let $H$ be an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert space and $B(H)$ the algebra of bounded operators. Invariant subspace problem: Let $T \in B(H)$. Is there a non-trivial closed $T$-invariant ...
Sebastien Palcoux's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
397 views

Backward heat equation and forward perturbed heat equation well posed?

I consider the following scenario. Let $I$ be a compact interval in space and $f$ a nice function in the space $C^{\infty}(I)$. In the following we consider a self-adjoint realization of our operators ...
Sascha's user avatar
  • 506
4 votes
1 answer
682 views

Connections to physics, geometry, geometric probability theory of Euler's beta integral (function)

Euler"s integral for the beta function $B(s,\alpha) = $ (with $x = 1$) $$ \frac{(s-1)!(\alpha-1)!}{(s+\alpha-1)!} x^{s+\alpha-1} = \int_0^\infty t^{s-1}\; H(x-t) \; (x-t)^{\alpha-1} dt = \int_0^x ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 9,937
4 votes
1 answer
200 views

Mapping properties of backward and forward heat equation

In a previous question on mathoverflow, I asked about the following: Let $\Delta$ be the Laplacian on some compact interval $I$ of the real line with let's say Dirichlet boundary conditions. The ...
Sascha's user avatar
  • 506
2 votes
1 answer
723 views

Existence of a solution to an infinite dimensional Stratonovich SDE

Let $U,H$ be separable $\mathbb R$-Hilbert spaces $Q\in\mathfrak L(U)$ be nonnegative and self-adjoint with finite trace $U_0:=Q^{1/2}U$ $(\Omega,\mathcal A,(\mathcal F_t)_{t\ge 0},\operatorname P)$ ...
0xbadf00d's user avatar
  • 161
2 votes
1 answer
276 views

CTRW: solve a renewal equation

Let X(t) be a continuous time random walk, with exponentially distributed waiting times of pdf $f_T(t)= k e^{-k t}\; t\geq 0$ and a jump sizes pdf $f_J(x)$. Suppose the initial distribution $\rho_{X(0)...
Alexandre's user avatar
  • 368
1 vote
1 answer
636 views

Properties of the trace term in the Itō formula

Let's consider the SDE $${\rm d}X_t=u_t(X_t){\rm d}t+\xi_t(X_t){\rm d}W_t\;\;\;\text{for all }t\ge 0\tag 1$$ where $U,H$ are separable $\mathbb R$-Hilbert spaces $Q\in\mathfrak L(U)$ is nonnegative ...
0xbadf00d's user avatar
  • 161
30 votes
3 answers
5k views

When is an integral transform trace class?

Given a measure space $(X, \mu)$ and a measurable integral kernel $k : X \times X \rightarrow \mathbb{C}$, the operator $$ K f(\xi) =\int_{X} f(x) k(x,\xi) d \mu(x),$$ the operator $K$ is Hilbert ...
Marc Palm's user avatar
  • 11.1k
27 votes
0 answers
1k views

Unital $C^{*}$ algebras whose all elements have path connected spectrum

A unital $C^{*}$ algebra is called a "Path connected algebra" if the spectrum of all its elements is a path connected subset of $\mathbb{C}$. What is an example of a non commutative ...
Ali Taghavi's user avatar
18 votes
1 answer
551 views

Is the space of Hankel operators complemented in B(H)?

Let $H$ be $\ell^2({\mathbb N})$ and let $S:H\to H$ be the unilateral forward shift, so that $S^*S=I\neq SS^*$. Then a bounded operator $T:H\to H$ is Hankel if and only if it satisfies $TS=S^*T$. Let ...
Yemon Choi's user avatar
  • 25.5k
18 votes
4 answers
1k views

Who first used the multiplication operator version of spectral theory

This is another history question. Hilbert phrased the spectral theorem in terms of resolutions of the identity. While this remained the form of Stone and von Neumann, they did also have the ...
Barry Simon's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
2k views

The letters of the word "ART"

Edit: According to the Gelfand duality between topological spaces and commutative $C^{*}$algebras, I add some new tags. So the question is that what is the structure of $ Ext (A,A)$ where $A$ is $...
Ali Taghavi's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
1k views

Hodge de Rham operator and orientability

Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian manifold. One can consider the exterior algebra bundle $\Lambda(T^*M)$. The sections of this bundle are differential forms, to be noted by $\Omega^k(M)$. One can consider ...
truebaran's user avatar
  • 9,140
15 votes
0 answers
2k views

PT Symmetry and the Riemann Hypothesis

Recently there have been articles in Quanta, in Science Alert, and at phys.org among others, on possible recent progress toward the Hilbert-Polya conjecture, which implies the Riemann Hypothesis. The ...
Stopple's user avatar
  • 10.8k
14 votes
4 answers
4k views

How much does the absolute value of an operator behave like an absolute value?

Recall that the absolute value of a bounded operator $T$ on a Hilbert space $H$ is the unique positive operator $|T|$ such that $$\||T|x\|=\|Tx\|$$ for all $x\in H$. It can be defined using the ...
Iian Smythe's user avatar
  • 3,001
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

Homotopy groups of Fredholm operators

If $X$ is separable complex Hilbert space and $\mathcal{F}$ the topological space of Fredholm operators on $X$, then it is well-known, that $$ \pi_0(\mathcal{F}) = \mathbb{Z}\, , $$ i.e. the connected ...
Chandler's user avatar
  • 173
12 votes
1 answer
876 views

Is there a proof that the $C^{*}$-algebras don't see the invariant subspace problem?

This post is an appendix of this one. Let $H$ be an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert space and $B(H)$ the algebra of bounded operators. Invariant subspace problem: Let $T \in B(H)$. Is ...
Sebastien Palcoux's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is the set of separable quantum states closed?

Let $\mathcal H,\mathcal H'$ be Hilbert spaces (not necessarily separable). A "separable state" is a trace-class operator of the form $\sum_i \rho_i\otimes\rho_i'$ where $\rho_i,\rho_i'$ are positive ...
Dominique Unruh's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
346 views

Exponential decay of voltage potential difference

Consider the following adjacency matrix of a complete graph: $$A=(e^{-|i-j|})_{1\leq i\neq j\leq n}$$ with 0 on the diagonal. Let $D=diag\{d_1,...,d_n\}$ be the degree matrix where $d_i=\sum_{j\neq i}...
neverevernever's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
544 views

Is $\mathcal{B}^{\mathbb{Z}}(l^\infty(\mathbb{Z}))$ a commutative algebra?

Consider $l^\infty(\mathbb{Z})$ the Banach space of bounded complex valued functions on the abelian group $\mathbb{Z}$ with the supremum norm. It has a natural action by $\mathbb{Z}$ given by $(zf)(g):...
Werner Thumann's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
276 views

Which closed subsets $Y$ of a compact space $X$ admit a linear extensor $C(Y)\to C(X)$?

In the following $X$ is a Hausdorff compact topological space. Let $Y$ be a closed subset of $X$. The restriction operator $R_Y:C(X)\to C(Y)$ is surjective (Tietze), so it admits a continuous right ...
Pietro Majer's user avatar
  • 56.5k
11 votes
3 answers
433 views

Does the generator of a 1-parameter group of Banach space isometries know which elements are entire?

Let $X$ be a complex Banach space. Let $(\sigma_t)_{t \in \mathbb{R}}$ be a 1-parameter group of linear isometries of $X$ which is strongly continuous i.e. $t \mapsto \sigma_t(x)$ is continuous for ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 672
10 votes
1 answer
581 views

What happens if we rotate the kernel of an integral operator?

Given an integral operator $K$ on $L^2(\mathbb R)$ with kernel $k(x, y)$, consider the integral operator $L$ on $L^2(\mathbb R)$, whose kernel has the form $k(\alpha x+\beta y, \gamma x+\delta y)$, ...
limanac's user avatar
  • 452
10 votes
1 answer
412 views

Comparison of the absolute value of an operator with its positive parts

It is well known that the absolute value on operators does not satisfy the triangle inequality. My question is whether for all positive operators $P,Q \in B(\mathcal H)$ is there a universal ...
Chris Ramsey's user avatar
  • 3,944
9 votes
1 answer
556 views

strong measurability question

Let $X$ be a separable Banach space and $\mathcal L$ the collection of bounded linear operators on $X$. The strong operator topology has the sub-basis $\{B_{x,y,\epsilon}\colon x,y\in X,\epsilon>0\}...
Anthony Quas's user avatar
  • 22.5k
9 votes
2 answers
770 views

$\zeta$-function regularized determinants

In (mathematical) physics in order to compute path integrals one often makes an infinite dimensional change of variables and uses infinite Jacobian as a purely formal expression. This step is done in ...
asv's user avatar
  • 21.1k
9 votes
1 answer
335 views

Relaxation of notion of positive definite function

A function $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ is called positive definite (in the semigroup sense) if for all $n\geq 1$ and $x_1,\ldots,x_n\in\mathbb{R}$ pairwise different the matrix $(f(x_i+x_j))_{i,j=1}^n$...
Hans's user avatar
  • 2,863
8 votes
2 answers
477 views

If the cardinality of $B(X)$, the space of operators on $X$, is continuum, must $X$ be separable?

Does there exits any non-separable Banach space $X$ such that the size (cardinal number) of $B(X)$, bdd linear operators on $X$, is just of the continuum?
ABB's user avatar
  • 3,898
8 votes
0 answers
258 views

Shift on trivalent directed tree, operator and von Neumann algebra

Let $\mathcal{T}$ be the trivalent directed tree, with two parents and one child for each vertex (see below). Let $\mathcal{V}$ be the set of vertices of $\mathcal{T}$ and $H$ be the Hilbert space $\...
Sebastien Palcoux's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
552 views

Commutant of the conjugations by unitary matrices

Let $\mathcal{L}(\mathbb{C}^{n \times n})$ denote the algebra of all linear mappings from $\mathbb{C}^{n \times n}$ to $\mathbb{C}^{n \times n}$ and let $\mathcal{C} \subseteq \mathcal{L}(\mathbb{C}^{...
Jochen Glueck's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
741 views

An equivalent condition for separability of $X^*$

Let $X$ be a Banach space. By the weak operator topology on $B(X)$, we mean the locally convex topology implemented by the following semi-norms: $$B(X)\to[0,\infty) : T\to|\langle Tx,x^*\rangle|$$ ...
ABB's user avatar
  • 3,898
7 votes
1 answer
353 views

Criteria for operators to have infinitely many eigenvalues

Normal compact linear operators on Hilbert spaces have infinitely many (counting multiplicities) eigenvalues by the spectral theorem. For non-normal operators this no longer has to be true. There ...
Sascha's user avatar
  • 506
7 votes
2 answers
627 views

Hölder continuity for operators

Let $x,y$ be positive real numbers then $$|\sqrt{x}-\sqrt{y}|=\dfrac{|x-y|}{\sqrt{x}+\sqrt{y}}=\sqrt{|x-y|}\cdot \dfrac{\sqrt{|x-y|}}{\sqrt{x}+\sqrt{y}}\leq 1\cdot |x-y|^{\frac{1}{2}}$$ we obtain $1/...
user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
596 views

Is the injective envelope functorial?

Let $A$ and $B$ be unital $C^*$-algebras, so we can view these as operator systems, and it makes sense to consider their injective envelopes $I(A)$ and $I(B)$. These injective envelopes become $C^*$-...
Andromeda's user avatar
  • 189
6 votes
3 answers
845 views

Are nuclear operators closed under extensions?

Given $X_i, Y_i$ Banach spaces, $f_j, g_j, T_i$ bounded linear operators for $i=1,2,3$ and $j=1,2$. We have the following diagram $\require{AMScd}$ \begin{CD} 0 @>>> X_1 @>f_1>> X_2 ...
santker heboln's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
2k views

Non-empty resolvent set, then operator closed?

On Hilbert spaces, the following is true: Let $T$ be a densely-defined linear operator with non-empty resolvent set, then $T$ is closed. The obvious proof I see to show this uses explicitly the ...
gipom's user avatar
  • 115
6 votes
1 answer
377 views

Absolutely 2-summable operator on a Hilbert space

An bouneded linear operator $A \in L(X, Y)$ (here $X$, $Y$ are Banach spaces) is called absolutely $2$-summable if there exists a $C>0$ such that $$ \left( \sum_{j=1}^N \| A x_j\|_X^2 \right)^{1/2} ...
Matthias Ludewig's user avatar