All Questions
13,927 questions
16
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Defining Quotient Bundles
This is an extremely elementary question but I just can't seem to get things to work out. What I am looking for is a natural definition of the quotient bundle of a subbundle $E'\subset E$ of $\...
- 2,283
16
votes
3
answers
951
views
What are the 'wonderful consequences' following from the existence of a minimal dense subspace?
In Peddechio & Tholens Categorical Foundations they quote PT Johnstone in their chapter on Frames & Locales:
...the single most important fact which distinguishes locales from spaces: the ...
- 2,369
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Which definition of "proper" is better?
It is well known that topology and algebraic geometry assign different meanings to the word "proper".
Let us recall the relevant definitions from topology (and we work in the context of topological ...
- 18.7k
16
votes
3
answers
708
views
An inequality for two independent identically distributed random vectors in a normed space
Suppose that $X$ and $Y$ are independent identically distributed random vectors in a separable Banach space $B$. Does it always follow that $E\|X-Y\|\le E\|X+Y\|$?
Some background information on ...
- 128k
16
votes
2
answers
996
views
Perturbation of unbounded self-adjoint operators
In the paper "A CRITERION FOR THE NORMALITY OF UNBOUNDED OPERATORS AND APPLICATIONS TO SELF-ADJOINTNESS" by M. H MORTAD (http://arxiv.org/pdf/1301.0241.pdf), the author states the following theorem
...
- 163
16
votes
3
answers
1k
views
A natural center of a convex weakly compact set in Banach space
Question: Let $S$ be a convex weakly compact set in Banach space $H$. Propose a natural way to define the unique center $O \in S$.
Motivation: A lot! For example, in game theory $S$ can be a set of ...
- 161
16
votes
3
answers
852
views
Quantum Hamiltonian for an Inverse Cube Force Law
If you have a nonrelativistic quantum particle in $\mathbb{R}^3$ in an attractive inverse cube force, its Hamiltonian is
$$ H = -\nabla^2 - \frac{c}{r^2} $$
where I'm keeping things simple by ...
- 22.3k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Compactification of a manifold
This is just a curiosity and the question is really foggy. I'm wondering if there can exist a notion of "minimal smooth compactification" (when I say minimal I think something like adding a finite ...
- 1,727
16
votes
3
answers
991
views
Where else do the (topology) separation axioms turn up?
As an undergraduate I learned point-set topology from Munkres's book, as did many others.
One topic that gets a lot of attention is the separation axioms. For example, a space $X$ is normal if any ...
- 7,347
16
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Finding closed subspaces whose sum isn't closed
Let $V_0$ be a closed infinite-dimensional subspace of a Banach space $V$ such that the quotient $V/V_0$ is also infinite-dimensional. Is it always possible to find a closed subspace of $V$ whose sum ...
- 42.8k
16
votes
2
answers
820
views
Klee's trick --- more applications
In his "Some topological properties..." (1955), Klee gave a construction (simple and beautiful) of an isotopy $h_t\colon\mathbb{R}^{2\cdot n}\to \mathbb{R}^{2\cdot n}$ which moves any compact set $K$ ...
- 45k
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Physical interpretations/meanings of the notion of a sheaf?
I fairly understand the fiber bundles, both the mathematical concept of fiber bundles and the physics use of fiber bundles. Because the fiber bundles are tightly connected to the gauge field theory in ...
- 10.5k
16
votes
1
answer
975
views
Pedagogically intuitive reformulation of Zorn's Lemma for functional analysis
While teaching an applied functional analysis class, I’ve noticed that students often struggle to develop an intuitive understanding of Zorn’s lemma. It’s relatively straightforward to explain why ...
- 5,824
16
votes
2
answers
682
views
Ultraweak topology on B(X): Is the map X\otimes X* -> B(X)* isometric?
Let $X$ be a Banach space. Consider the map
$$
\alpha\colon X\hat{\otimes} X^* \to B(X)^*,
$$
defined one simple tensors as
$$
\alpha(\xi\otimes\eta)(a) = \eta(a(\xi)).\quad (\xi\in X, \eta\in X^*, a\...
- 3,497
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why does the singular simplicial space geometrically realize to the original space?
I have seen it claimed that (for compactly generated Hausdorff spaces) the geometric realization of the singular (internal) simplicial space is homotopy equivalent to the original space. I know how to ...
- 27.5k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is Stone-Čech compactification of 0-dimensional space also 0-dimensional?
What is an example of a 0-dimensional locally compact Hausdorff space $X$ for which the Stone-Čech compactification $\beta(X)$ is not 0-dimensional?
It is known that if $X$ is a 0-dimensional locally ...
- 1,704
16
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Integration of differential forms using measure theory?
Setup: Let $(M,g)$ be a (possibly non-compact) Riemannian manifold with volume density $d_gV$. Then one may think of $(M,g)$ as a measure space $(\Omega,\mathcal{A},\mu)$, where $\Omega:=M$, $\mathcal{...
- 408
16
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Usefulness of Frechet versus Gateaux differentiability or something in between.
If you have a function $V: L \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$, where $L$ is an infinite dimensional topological vector space, there are multiple notions of differentiability. For $x,u \in L$, $V$ is Gateaux ...
- 943
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Pullbacks as manifolds versus ones as topological spaces
My question is: Does the forgetful functor F:(Mfd) $\to$ (Top) preserve pullbacks?
Detailed explanation is following.
A pullback is defined as a manifold/topological space satisfying a universal ...
- 811
16
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Examples of Banach manifolds with function spaces as tangent spaces
I have recently been learning the theory of Banach manifolds through Serge Lang's book on Differential Manifolds. So far the objects seem rather interesting but my intuition always comes from the ...
- 161
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Challenge: Non-Gaussian quartic integral and path integral in Quantum field theory
(1) It is well-known that we can get a Gaussian integral of this type, where $x$ is in $\mathbb{R}$:
$$
\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} dx e^{-ax^2}=\sqrt{(2\pi)/a}. \tag{i}
$$
We can generalize this ...
- 2,147
16
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is there always a way up?
I am trying to find a simple criterion for a real continuous function $f$ on a connected, open subset $U$ of $\mathbb R^n$ that would imply the following property (P)
For any $x, y \in U$ such that $f(...
- 1,608
16
votes
1
answer
481
views
Where can I learn more about the topology on $\mathbb{R}$ induced by the map $\mathbb{R} \to \prod_{a>0} (\mathbb{R}/a\mathbb{Z})$?
Consider the (continuous, injective, abelian group homomorphism) map $\Phi \colon \mathbb{R} \to \prod_{a>0} (\mathbb{R}/a\mathbb{Z})$ (where the target is given the product topology) taking $x\in \...
- 32.5k
16
votes
1
answer
727
views
Integrating a family of vector spaces
Let $X$ be a measure space, or even a subspace of $\mathbb{R}^n$, and suppose I have a family of finite-dimensional vector spaces $\{V_x\}_{x\in X}$ indexed by $X$. Is there any way to "integrate" ...
- 66.8k
16
votes
3
answers
918
views
What is the minimal $C_k$, such that every $f\colon \{-1,1\}^n\to \mathbb{R}$ of degree at most $k$ satisfies $\|f\|_2\le C_k\|f\|_1$
Every $f\colon\{-1,1\}^n\to \mathbb{R}$ can be repsenented as a multilinean polynomial of the form $$f(x_1,x_2,\ldots ,x_n)=\sum _{S\subseteq [n]} \hat{f}(S)\prod_{i\in S} x_i $$ The degree of the ...
- 311
16
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Measure theory treatment geared toward the Riesz representation theorem
I'm looking for recommendations for books (or lecture notes) that develop measure theory in sufficient detail to state and prove the Riesz representation theorem (which is the characterization of the ...
- 21.5k
16
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Is the space of continuous functions from a compact metric space into a Polish space Polish?
Let $K$ be a compact metric space, and $(E,d_E)$ a complete separable metric space.
Define $C:=C(K,E)$ to be the continuous functions from $K$ to $E$ equipped with
the metric $d(f,g)=\sup_{k\in K}\ ...
user6096
16
votes
1
answer
793
views
Is this Wikipedia article linking to the wrong notion of coherent space
I'm reading up on infinite generalizations of the fundamental theorem of distributive lattices. Wikipedia (June 15, 2017) says that there is a duality
between distributive lattices and coherent ...
- 156k
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Characterization of Stone-Cech compactifications
Suppose I have an infinite discrete topological space $X$ of cardinality $\kappa$. Then I know some things about the Stone-Cech compactification, $\beta X$: it is Hausdorff and compact but not ...
- 20.5k
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What (classes of) Banach spaces are known to have Schauder basis?
Motivation:
I am trying to see for what class of Banach spaces the following result is true:
There exists an increasing sequence of finite dimensional subspace {$V_n$} of a Banach space X (with ...
- 365
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does Urysohn's Lemma imply Dependent Choice?
It's widely known$^{1}$ that in the proof of Urysohn's Lemma (UL) one uses the Principle of Dependent Choice (DC). Inspired by the equivalence between DC and Baire's Category Theorem$^{2}$, I'd like ...
- 405
16
votes
2
answers
731
views
A reference to a characterization of metric spaces admitting an isometric embedding into a Hilbert space
I am looking for a reference to the bipartite version of the Schoenberg's criterion of embeddability into a Hilbert space. The Schoenberg criterion is formulated as Proposition 8.5(ii) of the book &...
- 41.9k
16
votes
3
answers
791
views
Random products of projections: bounds on convergence rate?
The von Neumann-Halperin [vN,H] theorem shows that iterating a fixed product of projection operators converges to the projector onto the intersection subspace of the individual projectors. A good ...
- 181
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Kaplansky's conjecture and Martin's axiom
Recall Kaplansky's conjecture which states that every algebra homomorphism from the Banach algebra C(X) (where X is a compact Hausdorff topological space) into any other Banach algebra, is ...
- 32.2k
16
votes
1
answer
538
views
Balls in Hilbert space
I recently noticed an interesting fact which leads to a perhaps difficult question. If $n$ is a natural number, let $k_n$ be the smallest number $k$ such that an open ball of radius $k$ in a real ...
- 2,049
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Questions about spectra of rings of continuous functions
I have been thinking a bit about rings of continuous functions of various kinds -- how they motivate the more modern notion of the Zariski topology on the prime spectrum as well as how they fit into a ...
- 65.4k
16
votes
1
answer
521
views
Extending a map from $S^n\to M^n$ to a nice map from $B^{n+1}\to M^n$
Let $S^n$ and $B^{n+1}$ be the unit sphere and unit ball in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$, and let $M^n$ be a contractible space of dimension $n$.
If necessary, assume that $M^n$ is a contractible simplicial $n$-...
- 368
16
votes
1
answer
691
views
Unbalancing lights in higher dimensions
In ''The Probabilistic Method'' by Alon and Spencer, the following unbalancing lights problem is discussed. Given an $n \times n$ matrix $A = (a_{ij})$, where $a_{ij} = \pm 1$, we want to maximise the ...
- 878
16
votes
1
answer
526
views
Equivariant Fredholm operators classify equivariant K-theory
Let $\mathcal{F}$ be the space of Fredholm operators on a separable Hilbert space $H$ with the topology induced by the operator norm.
If $X$ is compact,
Atiyah-Jänich proved that
$$[X,\mathcal{F}]\...
- 673
16
votes
1
answer
607
views
The dominating number $\mathfrak{d}$ and convergent sequences
All spaces considered below are compact Hausdorff.
If $K$ is a space, then $w(K)$ is its weight. For a Boolean algebra $\mathcal{A}$, $K_\mathcal{A}$ denotes its Stone space. I am interested in ...
- 1,151
16
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Which topological spaces have the property that their sheaves of continuous functions are determined by their global sections?
I hope I'm using the terminology correctly. What I mean is this: fix $K = \mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$ (I'm interested in both cases). Which topological spaces $X$ have the property that for every ...
- 118k
16
votes
1
answer
502
views
Group actions and "transfinite dynamics"
$\DeclareMathOperator\Sym{Sym}$I have a question about what I shall name here "transfinite dynamics" because it involves iterating a topological dynamical system $G \curvearrowright X$ ...
- 4,265
16
votes
1
answer
567
views
Do strict pro-sets embed in locales?
It is well-known that the category of profinite groups (by which I mean Pro(FiniteGroups), i.e. the category of formal cofiltered limits of finite groups) is equivalent to a full subcategory of ...
- 66.8k
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
$\infty$-topoi versus condensed anima
Let $ExDisc_\kappa$ denote the category of $\kappa$-small extremally disconnected topological spaces (for now fix a strong limit cardinal $\kappa$). There's a functor $ExDisc_\kappa \to \mathsf{RTop}$ ...
- 15.9k
16
votes
1
answer
656
views
Approximate eigenvectors for a set of non-commuting self-adjoint operators
This problem is motivated by finding the right mathematical setting for expressing the compatibility of classical physics with quantum mechanics.
Let $\mathcal H$ be a Hilbert space and $S$ a ...
- 161
16
votes
0
answers
372
views
On projectively countable sets in the Hilbert cube
A subset $A$ of a topological space $X$ is called projectively countable if for any continuous map $f:X\to\mathbb R$ the image $f(A)$ is countable.
It is easy to see that each projectively countable ...
- 41.9k
15
votes
4
answers
734
views
Continuously selecting elements from unordered pairs
The symmetric square of a topological space $X$ is obtained from the usual square $X^2$ by identifying pairs of symmetric points $(x_1,x_2)$ and $(x_2,x_1)$. Thus, elements of the symmetric square can ...
- 44.4k
15
votes
1
answer
521
views
Is there a locally compact, $\omega_1$-compact, not $\sigma$-countably compact space of size $\aleph_1$?
There are old ZFC examples due to Eric van Douwen that satisfy all the properties in the title, except that they are of cardinality $2^{\aleph_0}$, so the answer to the title question is YES if the ...
- 291
15
votes
1
answer
673
views
Question about product topology
Suppose $S\subset\mathbb{R}$ is dense without interior point, and for every open interval $I,J\subset\mathbb{R}$, $I\cap S$ is homeomorphic to $J\cap S$.
Is $S\times S$ homeomorphic to $S$?
By Luzin ...
- 153
15
votes
1
answer
525
views
A problem of Keisler and Tarski
The following question dates back to Keisler and Tarski: From accessible to inaccessible cardinals, Fund. Math. 53, 1964 and also perhaps Mazur: On continuous mappings of Cartesian products, Fund. ...
- 9,641