All Questions
13,925 questions
4
votes
1
answer
321
views
What functorial topologies are there on the space of linear maps between LCTVS?
Setup: we consider the category of locally convex topological vector spaces with morphisms as continuous linear maps. This time, I'm explicitly allowing the axiom of choice (or at least the Hahn-...
- 26.8k
13
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Is the category of Banach spaces with contractions an algebraic theory?
Consider the category of Banach spaces with contractions as morphisms (weak, so $\|T\| \le 1$). Is this an algebraic theory?
I suspect that this is true. The "operations" will be weighted sums, ...
- 26.8k
26
votes
15
answers
19k
views
Learning Topology
EDIT (Harry): Since this question in its original form was poorly stated (asked about topology rather than graph theory), but we have a list of Topology books in the answers, I guess you should go ...
71
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Barrelled, bornological, ultrabornological, semi-reflexive, ... how are these used?
I'm not a functional analyst (though I like to pretend that I am from time to time) but I use it and I think it's a great subject. But whenever I read about locally convex topological vector spaces, ...
- 26.8k
5
votes
2
answers
765
views
Can we distinguish the algebraic and continuous duals of a Banach space without choice (or HBT)?
The algebraic dual of a normed vector space is the space of all linear functionals to the ground field (either $\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$ for this question). The continuous dual is the subspace of ...
- 26.8k
5
votes
2
answers
521
views
Freeing a sphere from within a sphere
We can embed $S^2\times I$ into $\mathbb{R}^3$ by taking a compact 3-ball and removing an open 3-ball from its interior. Taking the boundary gives an embedding $i: S^2\sqcup S^2\hookrightarrow\mathbb{...
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Conditional expectation of convolution product equals..
Let $X, Y$ be two $L^1$ random variables on the probablity space $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, P)$. Let $\mathcal{G} \subset \mathcal{F}$ be a sub-$\sigma$-algebra.
Consider the conditional expectation ...
- 47
9
votes
1
answer
708
views
Hilbert spaces are induced by a bilinear form. How about n-linear forms?
A Hilbert space is a complete vector space equipped with scalar product, i.e. a symmetric positive definite bilinear form.
What if we replace 'bilinear' by 'n-linear'? One might wonder, whether the $...
- 5,327
2
votes
3
answers
946
views
How can I measure the Morse index in infinite dimensions?
Let $V$ be a vector space over $\mathbb R$, and $a: V\otimes V\to \mathbb R$ a symmetric bilinear pairing. Recall that the Morse index of $a$ is the maximal dimension of any subspace $V_- \subseteq V$...
- 54.6k
2
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Splitting a space into positive and negative parts
Let $V$ be a vector space over $\mathbb R$. A symmetric bilinear pairing on $V$ is a linear map $a: V\otimes V \to \mathbb R$. Because $\mathbb R$ is characteristic not-two, I will freely confuse ...
- 54.6k
4
votes
3
answers
609
views
When is $A : C(X) \to C(Y)$ a composition operator?
A composition operator $C\_T : C(X) \to C(Y)$ with $T \in C(Y, X)$ is defined by $C\_T f := f \circ T, f \in C(X)$.
I read in the book about Composition Operators by Singh and others that a ...
- 1,338
14
votes
3
answers
1k
views
What is a monoidal metric space?
At time of writing, the highest rated answer to my question What is a metric space? is Tom Leinster's account of Lawvere's description of a metric space as an enriched category. This prompted my ...
- 26.8k
15
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What is a projective space?
Is there a "recognition principle" for projective spaces?
What categories are there with projective spaces for objects?
Background: Although the title is a nod to What is a metric space?, ...
- 26.8k
21
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is Dependent Choice all we really need?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom_of_dependent_choice
Is DC sufficient for the understanding of objects that are countable in some suitable sense?
For example, is DC sufficient for the full ...
- 1,199
11
votes
2
answers
862
views
Monotone Lipschitz embedding ?
In 1974, Aharoni proved that every separable metric space (X, d) is Lipschitz isomorphic to a subset of the Banach space c_0.
Thus, for some constant L, there is a map K: X --> c_0 that satisfies the ...
- 4,060
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Topological Rings
Is it true that, if S is a subring of a separable topological Noetherian ring R,
then S is separable, too ?
- 4,060
23
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Which is the correct ring of functions for a topological space?
There is a fact that I should have learned a long time ago, but never did; I was reminded that I did not know the answer by Qiaochu's excellent series of posts, the most recent of which is this one.
...
- 54.6k
8
votes
1
answer
655
views
Coherent spaces
In Proofs and Types, Girard discusses coherent (or coherence) spaces, which is defined as a set family which is closed downward ($a\in A,b\subseteq a\Rightarrow b\in A$), and binary complete (If $M\...
- 475
4
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Generalize Fourier transform to other basis than trigonometric function
The Fourier transform of periodic function $f$ yields a $l^2$-series of the functions coefficients when represented as countable linear combination of $\sin$ and $\cos$ functions.
In how far can this ...
- 5,327
11
votes
2
answers
61k
views
Difference between connected vs strongly connected vs complete graphs [closed]
What is the difference between
connected
strongly-connected and
complete?
My understanding is:
connected: you can get to every vertex from every other vertex.
strongly connected: every vertex ...
- 219
45
votes
7
answers
16k
views
What is an intuitive view of adjoints? (version 2: functional analysis)
After realising that I don't have an intuitive understanding of adjoint functors, I then realised that I don't have an intuitive understanding of adjoint linear transformations!
Again, I can use 'em, ...
- 26.8k
3
votes
1
answer
361
views
Is the coproduct of fibrant spectra fibrant again?
Define an $S^{1}$-spectrum $E$ to be a sequence of pointed simplicial sets $E_{n},\\ n=0,1,2...$ with assembly morphisms $\sigma_{n}:S^{1}\wedge E_{n}\rightarrow E_{n+1}$.
An $S^{1}$-spectrum $E$ is ...
- 51
2
votes
2
answers
1k
views
When is a Hausdorff space metrisable?
This question may be a little too easy for this site, but I'll ask it anyway: when is a Hausdorff topological space metrisable?
- 29
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Lebesgue measure of boundary of Caccioppoli set
Can anything be said about the measure of the topological boundary of a Cacciopoli set in $R^n$? Of course, the reduced boundary has finite (n-1)-dimensional Hausdorff measure, but this does not say ...
- 320
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
18
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What are the right categories of finite-dimensional Banach spaces?
This is inspired partly by this question, especially Tom Leinster's answer.
Let me start with some background. I apologize that this will be rather long, since I'm hoping for input from people who ...
- 11.4k
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Explicitly describing extreme points of infinite dimensional convex sets
I am currently trying to apply some results from Choquet theory - i.e., the generalisation of results by Minkowski and Krein-Milman for representing points in a compact, convex set C by probability ...
- 325
2
votes
3
answers
369
views
How do we know that a map $f: U \to Y$ extends to $\bar{U}$?
I read the following fact: if $U$ is an open subset of $P_k^1$ and $f: U \to U$ is an automorphism of schemes, then $f$ extends to an automorphism of $P_k^1$. Thus I was curious: is there a general ...
- 25.6k
6
votes
3
answers
324
views
Inverses in convolution algebras
Let $G$ be a locally compact totally disconnected group, and to make life easy let's suppose its Haar measure is bi-invariant. Let $C_c(G)$ be the space of locally constant complex functions on $G$ ...
- 2,713
42
votes
8
answers
5k
views
What is a metric space?
According to categorical lore, objects in a category are just a way of separating morphisms. The objects themselves are considered slightly disparagingly. In particular, if I can't distinguish ...
- 26.8k
4
votes
1
answer
448
views
Is there a name for this topology?
Let $X$ be a set and let $f: X\longrightarrow X$ be a function on $X$. Introduce a topology on $X$ by the following basis of open sets: for any subset $S$ of $X$, let $B_S$ be the set of forward ...
- 2,830
11
votes
7
answers
1k
views
What are some interesting ways of making new metrics out of old metrics?
If $d(x,y)$ and $e(x,y)$ are metrics then $d(x,y)+e(x,y)$ and $\frac{d(x,y)}{1+d(x,y)}$ are metrics.
If $d_i(x,y)$ for $i=1,\dots,n$ are metrics then so is $\sqrt{\sum_{i=1}^n{d_i^2(x,y)}}$
Are ...
- 3,613
5
votes
3
answers
230
views
Is the Fell-Doran problem trivial in a topological setting?
The Fell-Doran problem is a problem in functional analysis. It goes as follows: Let $A$ be a complex unital algebra, $X$ a locally convex space, and $L(X)$ the algebra of all continuous endomorphisms ...
- 1,821
3
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Is there a use for a Hilbert space that uses a different norm than the one induced by the inner product?
$l_1$ minimization / compressed sensing comes to mind. Does anyone have any concrete examples? Or is such a construct completely useless?
- 49
5
votes
1
answer
320
views
Ramified covers of S^n
This question has been inspired by covering 3-torus post.
Is it true that any good (smooth, compact, oriented) $n$-manifold can be mapped to $S^n$ in such a way that the map is true covering away ...
- 15.1k
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Closed, complemented subspaces of $l^1(X)$ when $X$ is uncountable
... are all isomorphic to $l^1$ on some other index set. At least, that much I "know" from 2nd-hand sources, since the original proof is apparently in a paper of Köthe from the 1930s 1960s (in ...
- 25.8k
65
votes
14
answers
6k
views
Notions of convergence not corresponding to topologies
This question concerns the ramifications of the following interesting problem that
appeared on Ed Nelson's final exam on Functional Analysis some years ago:
Exam question: Is there a metric on the ...
- 801
3
votes
1
answer
242
views
Are mapping spaces paracompact?
Let X be a (finite dimensional) manifold. Consider smooth mapping space $$PX = C^\infty(I, X)$$ where I = [0,1] is the closed interval. Is this space paracompact? What if we fix a point x in X and ...
- 27.5k
48
votes
8
answers
8k
views
When are there enough projective sheaves on a space X?
This question is being asked on behalf of a colleague of mine.
Let $X$ be a topological space. It is well known that the abelian category of sheaves on $X$ has enough injectives: that is, every ...
- 65.4k
45
votes
7
answers
9k
views
What's an example of a space that needs the Hahn-Banach Theorem?
The Hahn-Banach theorem is rightly seen as one of the Big Theorems in functional analysis. Indeed, it can be said to be where functional analysis really starts. But as it's one of those "there ...
- 26.8k
20
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Basis of l^infinity
Is it possible to exhibit a (Hamel) basis for the vector space l^infinity, given by the bounded sequences of real numbers?
- 1,638
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Are smooth functions on an uncountable sum continuous?
Consider the linear space $\sum_{\mathbb{R}} \mathbb{R}$. As in the Frolicher-Kriegl-Michor view, we make this into a Frolicher space as follows.
Equip it with the locally convex topology of the ...
- 26.8k
15
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Can one do without Riesz Representation?
In more detail, can one establish that the continuous linear dual of a Hilbert space is again a Hilbert space without appealing to the Riesz Representation Theorem?
For me, the Riesz Representation ...
- 26.8k
6
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Spectra of $C^*$ algebras
Gelfand-Naimark structure theorem for $C^* $ algebras gives a canonical isometric * isomorphism between any commutative unital $C^* $ algebra $A$ and the algebra of continuous complex-valued functions ...
- 2,479
28
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Is there a compact group of countably infinite cardinality?
Apologies for the very simple question, but I can't seem to find a reference one way or the other, and it's been bugging me for a while now.
Is there a compact (Hausdorff, or even T1) (topological) ...
- 12.6k
3
votes
0
answers
383
views
Neglect of Compact Quantum Metric Spaces [closed]
Does anyone have an opinion on Rieffel's theory of compact quantum metric spaces? To me it seems to be a very interesting new area of mathematics. It shows how to generalise complicated geometric ...
- 1,462
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Gelfand-Naimark from the category-theoretic point of view
I was thinking about the Gelfand-Naimark theorem asserting the isometric * isomorphism between a commutative $C^*$-algebra (with unit) $\mathcal{A}$ and the $C^*$ -algebra of continuous complex-valued ...
- 2,479
1
vote
3
answers
2k
views
Various Cartan's Lemmata
I am a bit amazed by "Cartan's Lemma".. I have so far seen it in :
Algebraic Geometry sources:
Look at Proposition 2.9 of Freitag and Kiehl's Étale Cohomology where he used étale morphism to describe ...
- 2,275
4
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Boundary of planar region
Is there a necessary and sufficient condition for the boundary of a planar region to be a finite union of Jordan curves?
- 1,159
9
votes
1
answer
625
views
Stable presentable categories as module categories
There is a theorem of Schwede and Shipley which classifies categories of modules over an A∞ ring spectrum as those stable presentable (∞,1)-categories with a compact generator. Suppose I ...
- 25.2k