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8 votes
3 answers
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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
  • 302
10 votes
2 answers
1k 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
  • 501
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
  • 209
39 votes
3 answers
14k 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
  • 31.5k
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
13 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
714 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
926 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
9 votes
1 answer
956 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
  • 1,143
6 votes
1 answer
680 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
6 votes
1 answer
765 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
5 votes
2 answers
459 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
  • 536
4 votes
1 answer
213 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
  • 536
2 votes
1 answer
755 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
  • 167
1 vote
1 answer
654 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
  • 167
31 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
  • 11.2k
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
564 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
  • 25.8k
17 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
  • 3,115
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
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 ...
Sebastien Palcoux's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
309 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
  • 60.5k
11 votes
1 answer
451 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
  • 3,984
11 votes
2 answers
545 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
3 answers
445 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
  • 662
10 votes
1 answer
598 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
9 votes
2 answers
848 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
  • 21.8k
9 votes
1 answer
359 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
  • 3,031
8 votes
3 answers
691 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
8 votes
2 answers
488 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
  • 4,058
7 votes
2 answers
682 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
7 votes
1 answer
813 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
  • 4,058
7 votes
1 answer
414 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
  • 536
6 votes
1 answer
422 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
6 votes
3 answers
852 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
2 answers
1k views

The contractivity of the heat semigroup in $L^p$ spaces

Let $M$ be a Riemannian manifold. By functional calculus, it is immediate to show that the heat semigroup is a contraction in $L^2(M)$. I can also show that it is a contraction in any $L^p(M)$ with $p ...
Alex M.'s user avatar
  • 5,407
6 votes
3 answers
3k 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
5 votes
1 answer
552 views

Scattering theory for Coulomb potential

Both physical and mathematical theories of quantum scattering seem to be well developed in the case when the potential (or a more general perturbation of the Laplacian) decays fast enough at infinity ...
asv's user avatar
  • 21.8k
5 votes
1 answer
456 views

The Bochner integral about a semigroup of bounded linear operators on a Banach space

Let $T(t)$ be a semigroup of bounded linear operators on a Banach space $X$. When does the following hold $$ \int_0^t T(s)x ds = \Big(\int_0^t T(s) ds\Big)x, \quad x \in X \, , $$ where $ t \in (0,1)$?...
Y Chen's user avatar
  • 51
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Commuting with self-adjoint operator

Let $T$ be an (unbounded) self-adjoint operator. Assume that there is a bounded operator $S$ such that $TS=ST.$ For which kind of $f$ do we have that $f(T)S=Sf(T)?$ My thought was that using a ...
Zinkin's user avatar
  • 501
5 votes
1 answer
245 views

Convergence of functionals on compact projections on a separable Hilbert space

Let $H$ be a separable Hilbert space over $\mathbb{C}$, say $\ell_2$ for simplicity. Let $\mathcal{K}(H)$ denote the space of all compact operators on $H$ and $\mathcal{P}(H)$ the set of all finite ...
Damian Sobota's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
279 views

Schroedinger operator in 2 dimensions with singular potential

Consider the Schroedinger operator $$H = -\Delta + \frac{c}{\vert x \vert^2}$$ in two dimensions with $c >0$ This operator has a self-adjoint realization, since it is a positive symmetric operator ...
António Borges Santos's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
308 views

Adjoint of the multiplication operator on a Sobolev space

Let $f\colon\mathbb{R}^n\rightarrow\mathbb{C}$ be a bounded function with a bounded first derivative. Then the multiplication operator $H^1(\mathbb{R}^n)\ni x\mapsto A_f x:=fx\in H^1(\mathbb{R}^n)$ is ...
Iosif Pinelis's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
195 views

Regarding unital positive operators

Let $\Omega$ be a domain in $\mathbb{C}^n$. Let $\mathbb{D}$ denote the open unit disc in $\mathbb{C}$. Let $C_b(\Omega)$ and $C_b(\mathbb{D})$ denote the space of all bounded continuous complex ...
Ma18's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes
0 answers
149 views

Cyclic vectors for the translation operator

Let $b\in \mathbb{R}\neq 0$, and consider the translation operators: $$ \begin{align} T_b:C(\mathbb{R}) & \rightarrow C(\mathbb{R})\\ f &\mapsto f(\cdot + b). \end{align} $$ *Are there known ...
ABIM's user avatar
  • 5,405
4 votes
1 answer
386 views

Invertible unbounded linear maps defined on a Hilbert space

It is well-known that, assuming the axiom of choice, there are unbounded linear maps defined not only on a dense subset but on all of Hilbert space. Is it possible that such a map is invertible?
Arnold Neumaier's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
878 views

Commuting with an unbounded operator

Let $H$ be a Hilbert space. Let $A$ be a closed unbounded operator, and let $B\in B(H)$ be a bounded operator. Definition:   $A$ and $B$ strong-commute if the partial isometry in the polar ...
André Henriques's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
730 views

Finite dimensional approximations of operators on Hilbert spaces

Let $e_1,e_2,\dots$ be a Schauder basis for a Hilbert space $(V , \langle \cdot , \cdot \rangle)$. Let $A:V \to V$ be an operator. Finally, let $V_n = {\rm span}( e_1, \dots, e_n)$. Let $i_n : V_n \...
hoj201's user avatar
  • 614
4 votes
1 answer
279 views

Reference request: Baire's theorem for operator ranges

Let $F$ be a Banach space. A vector subspace $U \subseteq F$ is called an operator range if there exists a Banach space $E$ and a bounded linear mapping $T: E \to F$ such that $TE=U$. By a quotient ...
Jochen Glueck's user avatar