All Questions
967 questions
15
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4
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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
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Disintegrations are measurable measures - when are they continuous?
This is a sequel to another question I have asked.
The notion of disintegration is a refinement of conditional probability to spaces which have more structure than abstract probability spaces; ...
- 8,512
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Categorifying the Reals via von Neumann Algebras?
So one way to categorify the natural numbers is to replace them with vector spaces. Then the dimension of the vector space reproduces the natural number. More generally you can categorify integers to ...
- 27.5k
15
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Naive questions about "matrices" representing endomorphisms of Hilbert spaces.
This is a very basic question and might be way too easy for MO. I am learning analysis in a very backwards way. This is a question about complex Hilbert spaces but here's how I came to it: I have in ...
- 41.4k
15
votes
2
answers
810
views
Are extensions of nuclear Fréchet spaces nuclear?
Consider the category of Fréchet spaces, the morphisms being
continuous linear maps with closed image. Suppose that we
have a short exact sequence in that category:
$0 \rightarrow V_1 \rightarrow ...
- 261
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Riesz's representation theorem for non-locally compact spaces
Every version of Riesz's representation theorem (the one expressing linear functionals as integrals) that I have found so far assumes that the underlying topological space is locally-compact. (For ...
- 5,407
15
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Range of completely positive projection
Let $A$ be a C*-algebra. Suppose that $P:A \rightarrow A$ is a contractive completely positive projection. Does the range $P(A)$ is completely order isomorphic to a $C^*$-algebra?
In the case where ...
- 1,222
15
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What do we actually know about logarithmic energy ?
In potential theory, the $\textit{logarithmic energy}$ of a Radon measure $\mu$ acting on $\mathbb{C}$ is defined by
$$I(\mu)=\iint\log\frac{1}{|x-y|}\mu(dx)\mu(dy).$$ Of course it is not well ...
- 2,135
15
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Is there a simple direct proof of the Open Mapping Theorem from the Uniform Boundedness Theorem?
The Open Mapping Theorem, the Bounded Inverse Theorem, and the Closed Graph Theorem are equivalent theorems in that any can be easily obtained from any other. The Closed Graph Theorem also easily ...
- 2,049
15
votes
3
answers
8k
views
What is an isomorphism of Banach spaces?
The nLab page on Banach spaces (http://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/Banach%20space) was recently criticised as being, in effect, too heavily biased to category theory (not of the Baire kind) and not enough ...
- 26.8k
15
votes
1
answer
1k
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Convolution algebras for double groupoids?
There is a lot of work of course on convolution algebras of measured groupoids, and this gives "Noncommutative geometry". However there is a lot of interest in algebraically structured groupoids, for ...
- 12.3k
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Inductive tensor product and smooth functions
Given complete, locally convex Hausdorff vector spaces $E$ and $F$, let
$$ E \otimes_i F, \qquad E \otimes_\pi F$$ denote the (completed) inductive and projective tensor products respectively. The ...
- 235
14
votes
4
answers
550
views
About the existence of characters on $B(X)$
Let $X$ be a Banach space. Let $B(X)$ be the space of all bounded linear operators on $X$. Does $B(X)$ have an empty character space for any $X$?
I know the proof of the fact that $M_n(\mathbb{C})$ ...
- 355
14
votes
4
answers
1k
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Is every continuous microlocal operator a pseudo-differential operator?
Let $\mathcal S'=\mathcal S'(\mathbb R^n)$ be the Schwartz distribution space.
Suppose $A\colon\mathcal S'\to\mathcal S'$ is linear, continuous and microlocal.
By being microlocal I mean that the wave ...
- 8,086
14
votes
0
answers
633
views
Classes of (non-continuous) functions with the fixed point property
Let $K$ be a convex body in $ R^d$. (Say, a ball, say a cube...) For which classes $ \cal C$ of functions, every function $ f \in {\cal C}$ which takes $K$ into itself admits a fixed point in $K$.
...
- 24.7k
14
votes
2
answers
723
views
Why do the projections in the Calkin algebra not form a lattice?
Let $H$ be an infinite dimensional separable complex Hilbert space. Denote by $\mathcal{B}(H)$ the C*-algebra of bounded operators on $H$, $\mathcal{K}(H)$ the ideal of compact operators on $H$, and $\...
- 3,115
14
votes
0
answers
860
views
strong topologies on $C_c^\infty$
UPDATE (27/08/2020): I realized after a comment from Jochen Wengenroth that there was at least one false premise behind my question, owing to the fact that analysts sometimes use the words "...
- 486
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 ...
- 173
13
votes
1
answer
675
views
Wavelet-like Schauder basis for standard spaces of test functions?
Edit: A more precise formulation of my question follows the separation line.
The Schwartz space of test functions $\mathcal{S}(\mathbb{R})$ is isomorphic to $\mathfrak{s}$ the space of sequences of ...
13
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Separable von Neumann algebra
What is the simplest argument which shows that each infinite dimensional von Neumann algebra is not separable (in the norm topology)? It seems that this is a kind of folklore: at least I never saw the ...
- 9,330
13
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Between compact and locally uniform: What is the name of this convergence?
Let $X$ be a topological space, $(Y,d)$ a metric space, $f\in Y^X$, and $(f_n)$ a sequence in $Y^X$ with the following property:
For every $x_0\in X$ and every $\varepsilon>0$, there exist a ...
- 802
13
votes
7
answers
10k
views
What is the best reference for Spectral theory?
I'm studying Bernard Aupetit: A Primer on Spectral Theory
but the textbook we are using is a little bit heavy going for me. Is there a best book to learn about these things?
Thank you.
- 823
13
votes
1
answer
724
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Trace-class operator satisfies $\sum |\lambda_n|<\infty$?
Here's an "exercise" which I thought should be easy, but which I find myself unable to do.
Let $V$ be a Banach space.
Recall that an operator $f:V\to V$ is trace-class if it is in the image of the ...
- 43.2k
13
votes
1
answer
911
views
Are $L^\infty(\Bbb R)$ and $L^2(\Bbb R)$ homeomorphic?
It's easy to see that, for $1\le p,q< \infty$ the spaces $L^p(\Bbb R)$ and $L^q(\Bbb R)$ of $p$-th and $q$-th power integrable functions on the real line are homeomorphic as topological spaces. In ...
- 3,017
13
votes
1
answer
807
views
Inner and extendible automorphisms of C*-algebras
If an automorphism $\alpha$ of a C*-algebra $A$ is inner then whenever $A$ is a subalgebra of another C*-algebra $B$, $\alpha$ obviously extends to $B$.
Is the converse true: if an automorphism $\...
- 1,786
13
votes
1
answer
1k
views
An inequality for the spectral radius of matrices used by J. Bochi
I am interested in the history of an inequality for the spectral radius of a $d\times d$ real or complex matrix, which occurs in Jairo Bochi's 2002 article Inequalities for numerical invariants of ...
- 6,206
13
votes
1
answer
452
views
Factor states on C*-algebras
Which C$^*$-algebras admit factor states for which the von Neumann algebra it generates in the corresponding GNS representation is a type III$_1$ factor? For example, do all purely infinite algebras ...
- 771
13
votes
1
answer
347
views
Existence of a translation-invariant basis of $\ell^2$
This question is heavily inspired by this other one, but is meant to be a hopefully more accessible variant of it (and I think slightly more natural).
I give four equivalent formulations of the same ...
- 32.5k
13
votes
4
answers
5k
views
What is known about the Gaussian measure of the unit ball in a Hilbert Space?
Let $X$ be an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert Space with norm $||\cdot||$ and let $\mu$ be a Gaussian measure on $X$ such that $\mu(X) = 1$. What do we know about $\mu(B(0,1))$, where $B(0,1)$ ...
- 617
13
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Interesting examples of non-locally compact topological groups
Harmonic analysis is concentrated mostly on studying locally compact groups. I would like to ask people about examples of non-locally compact topological groups that are interesting in connection with ...
13
votes
1
answer
736
views
Idempotent measures on the free binary system?
Let $(S,*)$ be the free (non associative) binary system on one generator (so $S$ is just the set of terms in $*$ and $1$). There is an extension of $*$ to the space $P(S)$ of finitely additive ...
- 3,547
13
votes
1
answer
1k
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A generalization of the Powers-Stormer inequality
The well-known Powers-Stormer inequality says the following: for positive semidefinite operators $A, B$, we have that $\mathrm{Tr}((A - B)(A - B)) \leq \| A^2 - B^2 \|_1$, where $\| \cdot \|_1$ ...
- 2,019
13
votes
2
answers
775
views
Properties of orthogonality-preserving c.p. maps between $C^*$-algebras
Suppose that $A,C$ are $C^*$-algebras and $\phi:A \to C$ is a completely positive, orthogonality-preserving linear map.
(Orthogonality preserving means: if $a,b \in A$ satisfy $ab=0$ then $\phi(a)\phi(...
- 1,786
12
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Smoothness of distance function to a compact set
Fix a non-empty compact subset $K\subseteq \mathbb{R}^n$ and let $d_K(x):=\min_{z \in K} \,\|z-x\|$ be the map sending any $x\in \mathbb{R}^n$ to its distance from $K$.
Suppose that:
$K$ is regular : ...
- 5,405
12
votes
1
answer
735
views
Parametrisations for null temperature functions: nonuniqueness of solutions to the heat equation
Disclaimer. I expect this is a highly open problem, but maybe I'm wrong and someone has come up with some answers besides those given here. In any case, all information appreciated, thanks!
Definition....
- 1,990
12
votes
3
answers
870
views
Measure theory in nuclear spaces
Much of the literature on measure theory in linear spaces focuses on the case of normed linear spaces (e.g., the outstanding book by Vakhania, or its sequel). However, nuclear linear spaces "as far ...
- 8,512
12
votes
1
answer
908
views
Equivalence of σ-convex hull and closed convex hull
Let $X$ be a locally convex topological space, and let $K \subset X$ be a compact set. Recalling that the standard convex hull is defined as
$$\text{co}(K) = \Big\{ \sum_{i=1}^n a_i x_i : a_i \geq 0,\,...
- 123
12
votes
1
answer
901
views
Is there a proof that the $C^{*}$-algebras don't see the invariant subspace problem?
This post is an appendix of this one.
Let $H$ be an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert space and $B(H)$ the algebra of bounded operators.
Invariant subspace problem: Let $T \in B(H)$. Is ...
12
votes
2
answers
878
views
The ground state is signed and symmetric
Background
In Berestycki and Lions it is asserted that (on page 316), if I am not misreading, that the "ground state", i.e. action minimizer among nontrivial solutions, corresponding to the action
$$...
- 39k
12
votes
3
answers
2k
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Relevance of the complex structure of a function algebra for capturing the topology on a space.
This question is the outcome of a few naive thoughts, without reading the proof of Gelfand-Neumark theorem.
Given a compact Hausdorff space $X$, the algebra of complex continuous functions on it is ...
- 3,699
12
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Low-degree polynomial approximation of the piecewise-linear function $x \mapsto \max(x, 0)$ on an interval $x \in [-R,R]$
For $R > 0$, consider the piecewise-linear function $\sigma_R: [-R,R] \rightarrow \mathbb R^+$, defined by $\sigma_R(x) := \max(x,0)$.
Question
Given $\epsilon> 0$, find a "low-degree" ...
- 6,853
12
votes
2
answers
1k
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A variation of the Ryll-Nardzewski fixed point theorem
Is there a fixed-point theorem that implies the following result?
Let $F$ be a nonempty convex set of functions on a discrete group with values in $[0,1]$. Suppose $F$ is invariant with respect to ...
- 45k
12
votes
2
answers
2k
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Reference on Minty's trick
I am searching for a precise reference for the following result:
Consider $f:\mathbb{R}_+\rightarrow\mathbb{R}_+$ a nondecreasing function.
Assume that a sequence of nonnegative functions $(u_n)_n$ ...
- 3,425
12
votes
1
answer
2k
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Making sense of "every non-commutative algebra has its own internal time evolution (aka a one-parameter group)"?
I've listened to many interviews and lectures of Alain Connes, in which he says something which goes roughly as follows
"Every non-commutative algebra has its own time (evolution of), by which I ...
- 6,853
12
votes
1
answer
927
views
On an Inequality of Lars Hörmander
Let $P(z)$ be a non-null complex polynomial in $\nu$ variables $z=(z_1,\dots,z_n)$ of degree $\mu$:
\begin{equation}
P(z)=\sum_{|\alpha| \leq \mu} c_{\alpha} z^{\alpha},
\end{equation}
where as usual ...
- 640
12
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Mysterious quotes (at least for me)
I heard two quotes, one from Alain Connes and an other one from Orlov.
Alain Connes was talking about noncommutative geometry and he said the following:
" a noncommutative algebra creates its own ...
- 1,607
12
votes
0
answers
373
views
Does Thompson's group $V$ have property AP?
Property AP: A discrete group $\Gamma$ has property AP (Approximation Property) if there exists a net $(\phi_i)_{i \in I}$ of finitely supported functions on $\Gamma$ such that $\phi_i \to 1 $ weak$^*$...
12
votes
1
answer
885
views
bornological vector spaces over a non-archimedean field
Let $k$ be a complete non-archimedean field. In definitions I have seen of bornological vector spaces over $k$ there are usually some extra assumptions on the non-archimedean field. For instance in '...
- 1,180
12
votes
0
answers
284
views
Star-shaped Folner sequence
Fix a (finite) generating set $S$ for $\Gamma$ (discrete) amenable. Given a Følner sequence (i.e. a sequence of finite sets $F_n$ whose boundary $\partial F_n$ in the Cayley graph of $S$ is such that $...
- 4,432
11
votes
1
answer
229
views
The set of boundary vectors of compact convex body has empty interior
Let $K$ be a compact convex body in the Euclidean space $\mathbb R^n$ and $\partial K$ be its topological boundary in $\mathbb R^n$.
Definition. A vector $\mathbf v\in\mathbb R^n$ is called $K$-...
- 41.9k