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9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Borsuk pairs of Banach spaces

Given $X$, $Y$ two real Banach spaces, let's say that $(X,\ Y)$ is a Borsuk pair if for any continuous mapping $T$ : {$x$ $\in$ $X$ ; $||x||\leq1$} $\rightarrow$ $Y$ s.t. $T$ is odd on {$x$ $\in$ $X$ ;...
7 votes
2 answers
684 views

Yet more on distortion

I would like to elaborate a little bit on my previous question which can be found here. Firstly, let me recall that a separable Banach space $(X, \| \cdot \|)$ is said to be arbitrarily distortable ...
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 ...
9 votes
1 answer
996 views

Topological "Interpolation" ?

Let E be a normed space, and let $T$:E * $\rightarrow$ E * be a nonlinear operator. Suppose that : 1) $T$ is continuous from (E *, ||.||) to itself (i.e., it is norm-continuous). and 2) $T$ is ...
3 votes
2 answers
416 views

Which Banach spaces have categorical duals?

I was looking carefully at all the definitions, trying to understand exactly what was going on in this question on categorical duals in Banach spaces. It seems that in the category of Banach spaces ...
6 votes
0 answers
639 views

Hilbert subspaces of indefinite inner product spaces

Let $E$ be a real linear space, endowed with a non-degenerate symmetric bilinear form $(.,.)$. Suppose that the [indefinite] inner product space $(E,(.,.))$ satisfies the following [sequential] ...
12 votes
3 answers
1k views

What's algebraic approach to QM good for?

The algebraic formulation of quantum mechanics (and related stuff, like quantum thermodynamics & dynamical systems etc.) via C*-algebras provides a viewpoint based mostly on abstract functional ...
5 votes
2 answers
862 views

Hilbert $C^*$-modules and approximate units

Hi, Given a $\sigma$-unital $C^*$-algebra $A$ and a full Hilbert $A$-module $E$, is it possible to find an approximate unit $ \{\epsilon_i\}, i\in I$ in $A$ such that each $\epsilon_i$ is of the ...
11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Continuous automorphism groups of normed vector spaces?

Consider the metric space on, say, ℝ2 induced by the various $L^p$ norms, and the group of isometries from that space into itself that preserve the origin. When $p=2$ I get the continuous group ...
8 votes
0 answers
605 views

convergence rate in Wiener's approximation theorem

Wiener has the following fantastic results about approximations using translation families: Given a function $h: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$, the set $\{\sum a_i h(\cdot - x_i): a_i, x_i \in \mathbb{...
13 votes
2 answers
646 views

Functions separting points in Hausdorff spaces

A colleague in algebra asked me this, and I couldn't answer it. On the Wikipedia page for "epimorphism" it is claimed that in the category of Hausdorff spaces and continuous maps, a function is epi ...
10 votes
0 answers
609 views

Asymptotic non-distortion of the separable Hilbert space

By the work of E. Odell and Th. Schlumprecht, we know that the separable Hilbert space $\ell_2$ is arbitrarily distortable. But I don't know if an "asymptotic" version of their result is true. To ...
6 votes
2 answers
657 views

Properties of the class of topological spaces possessing a CW-structure

Let ${\mathcal C}$ be the class of topological spaces which carry a CW-structure (note that I do not want to fix some particular CW-structure). Is it true that for a covering map $E\stackrel{f}{\to} ...
4 votes
2 answers
4k views

Compact Convex sets and Extreme Points

There are examples that show the set of extreme points of a compact convex subset of a locally convex topological vector space need not be closed when the real dimension of the space is at least 3. ...
21 votes
5 answers
4k views

Isomorphisms of Banach Spaces

Suppose $X$ and $Y$ are Banach spaces whose dual spaces are isometrically isomorphic. It is certainly true that $X$ and $Y$ need not be isometrically isomorphic, but must it be true that there is a ...
20 votes
3 answers
4k views

What is the origin of the term "spectrum" in mathematics?

The use of the term "spectrum" to denote the prime ideals of a ring originates from the case that the ring is, say, $\mathbb{C}[T]$ where $T$ is a linear operator on a finite-dimensional vector space; ...
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Relating Euler characteristic, intersection product, Morse theory (plus SU(2) and 3-manifolds)

Suppose we have a (closed, oriented) 3-manifold M with a Heegard surface F of genus g. Let F* denote F with a puncture. Then the space H of representations of pi_1(F*) on SU(2) is just SU(2)^2g, and ...
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

Baire category theorem

Let's call the following conditions (1): $X$ is a complete metric space with metric $d$, $X = \cup_{n=1}^\infty A_n$. Let $\bar{A}$ denote the closure of $A$. Let's call the following statement (2): ...
8 votes
3 answers
698 views

L_p norm balls for 1<p<2 - is it always similar to an L_q norm ball for some q>2?

The L_1 ball in 2D is shaped like a diamond (L_1 is also known as the Manhattan norm). The L_∞ ball is shaped like a square (L_∞ is also known as the supremum norm). They are similar, i.e. have same ...
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 ...
26 votes
4 answers
4k views

What is the "right" universal property of the completion of a metric space?

I'm a little embarrassed to ask this one, but it could help for a class I'm teaching, so here goes: Let $X$ be a metric space. We all know that $X$ admits a completion, which is a complete metric ...
5 votes
0 answers
417 views

Direct integrals and fields of operators

Suppose we have a measure space $(X,\mu)$ and a measurable field of Hilbert spaces $H_x$ on it. We can form the direct integral ${\cal{H}} = \int H_x \ d \mu$, which is a Hilbert space. Suppose now ...
2 votes
1 answer
168 views

Local supporting points of Lipschitz functions

Let X be a separable reflexive Banach space and f:X\to\mathbb{R} be a Lipschitz function. Say that a point x in X is a local supporting point of f if there exist x^* in X^* and an open neighborhood U ...
5 votes
1 answer
514 views

Request for reference: Banach-type spaces as algebraic theories.

Sparked by Yemon Choi's answer to Is the category of Banach spaces with contractions an algebraic theory? I've just spent a merry time reading and doing a bit of reference chasing. Imagine my delight ...
7 votes
1 answer
570 views

Categorical duals in Banach spaces

Near the bottom of the nlab page for Banach space I see "To be described: duals (p+q=pq)". Are $(\mathbb{R}^n)_p$ and $(\mathbb{R}^n)_q$ dual objects in the closed symmetric monoidal category of ...
26 votes
3 answers
2k views

Universality of zeta- and L-functions

Voronin´s Universality Theorem (for the Riemann zeta-Function) according to Wikipedia: Let $U$ be a compact subset of the "critical half-strip" $\{s\in\mathbb{C}:\frac{1}{2}<Re(s)<1\}$ with ...
5 votes
1 answer
968 views

Can topologies induce a metric? (revised)

This is a revised version of a question I already posted, but which patently was ill posed. Please give me another try. For comparison's sake, the axioms of a metric: Axiom A1: $(\forall x)\ d(x,x) =...
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

What are some interesting sequences of functions for thinking about types of convergence?

I'm thinking about the basic types of convergence for sequences of functions: convergence in measure, almost uniform convergence, convergence in Lp and point wise almost everywhere convergence. I'm ...
13 votes
6 answers
3k views

When does local invertibility imply invertibility?

Generally, local invertibility does not imply invertibility. However, for differentiable functions from $\mathbb{R}$ to $\mathbb{R}$ then surjectivity and local invertibility do imply invertibility. ...
4 votes
3 answers
6k views

Advantages of a back-propagation neural network over other function approximation methods

Hello. Let's say I have a set of input vectors $I = \{\mathbf{x_1}, \dots, \mathbf{x_k}\} \subset \mathcal{R}^m$ and a set of output vectors $O = \{\mathbf{y_1}, \dots, \mathbf{y_k}\} \subset \...
6 votes
1 answer
726 views

The "ultimate" indefinite inner product space

This can be considered as a relative of Splitting a space into positive and negative parts. Is there a real (non-trivial) vector space $V$, endowed with a nondegenerate symmetric bilinear pairing $\...
39 votes
3 answers
6k views

Why do finite homotopy groups imply finite homology groups?

Why does a space with finite homotopy groups [for every n] have finite homology groups? How can I proof this [not only for connected spaces with trivial fundamental group]? The converse is false. $\...
-2 votes
2 answers
931 views

Can topologies induce a metric?

Let {X,T} be a topology, T the set of open subsets of X. Definition: Three points x, y, z of X are in relation N (Nxyz, read "x is nearer to y than to z") iff there is a basis B of T and b in B ...
-4 votes
4 answers
678 views

What is the max number of points in R^3, interconnected by generic curves?

The largest complete graph that embeds in 2 dimensions is $K_4$, while the largest complete graph that embeds in 3 dimensions is $K_{\infty}$, right? However, I don't know any constructive proof of it....
10 votes
1 answer
635 views

What's the nearest algebraic theory to inner product spaces?

Following the references to the accepted answer to Is the category of Banach spaces with contractions an algebraic theory? one discovers that there is an algebraic theory (infinitary) which is closely ...
9 votes
2 answers
4k views

Quotient of a Hausdorff topological group by a closed subgroup

Sorry if this question is below the level of this site: I've read that the quotient of a Hausdorff topological group by a closed subgroup is again Hausdorff. I've thought about it but can't seem to ...
2 votes
1 answer
265 views

Hausdorff Derived Series

There is a short section in the book Locally Compact Groups by Markus Stroppel (Chapter B7) on the notion of a "Hausdorff Solvable Group", which he defines as a topological group with a descending ...
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 ...
2 votes
1 answer
510 views

Are the C(S^n, S^n)'s homeomorphic ?

Let m, n > 1. Is it true that C(S^m, S^m), and C(S^n, S^n) are homeomorphic ? [both endowed with the sup metric (or equivalently the compact-open topology)] Generally, C(S^n, S^n), with n >= 1, is a ...
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-...
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 ...
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 ...
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\...
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 ...
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 ...
30 votes
5 answers
3k views

The ants-on-a-ball problem

Suppose I put an ant in a tiny racecar on every face of a soccer ball. Each ant then drives around the edges of her face counterclockwise. The goal is to prove that two of the ants will eventually ...
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 ...
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?
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 ...
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 ...