Functional Analysis

This book has evolved from my experience over the past decade in teaching and doing research in functional analysis and certain of its appli­ cations. These applications are to optimization theory in general and to best approximation theory in particular.

Up to a certain time the attention of mathematicians was concentrated on the study of individual objects, for example, specific elementary functions or curves defined by special equations. With the creation of the method of Fourier series, which allowed mathematicians to work with 'arbitrary' functions, the individual approach was replaced by the 'class' approach, in which a particular function is considered only as an element of some 'function space'. More or less simultane­ ously the development of geometry and algebra led to the general concept of a linear space, while in analysis the basic forms of convergence for series of functions were identified: uniform, mean square, pointwise and so on.

This introduction to the ideas and methods of linear functional analysis shows how familiar and useful concepts from finite-dimensional linear algebra can be extended or generalized to infinite-dimensional spaces. Aimed at advanced undergraduates in mathematics and physics, the book assumes a standard background of linear algebra, real analysis (including the theory of metric spaces), and Lebesgue integration, although an introductory chapter summarizes the requisite material.

Functional Analysis has become one of the main branches in Chinese mathematics. Many outstanding contributions and results have been achieved over the past sixty years.
This authoritative collection is complementary to Western studies in this field, and seeks to summarise and introduce the historical progress of the development of Functional Analysis in China from the 1940s to the present.

This introduction to the ideas and methods of linear functional analysis shows how familiar and useful concepts from finite-dimensional linear algebra can be extended or generalized to infinite-dimensional spaces. Aimed at advanced undergraduates in mathematics and physics, the book assumes a standard background of linear algebra, real analysis (including the theory of metric spaces), and Lebesgue integration, although an introductory chapter summarizes the requisite material.

topics. However, only a modest preliminary knowledge is needed. In the first chapter, where we introduce an important topological concept, the so-called topological degree for continuous maps from subsets ofRn into Rn, you need not know anything about functional analysis. Starting with Chapter 2, where infinite dimensions first appear, one should be familiar with the essential step of consider­ ing a sequence or a function of some sort as a point in the corresponding vector space of all such sequences or functions, whenever this abstraction is worthwhile.

The understanding of results and notions for a student in mathematics requires solving ex­ ercises. The exercises are also meant to test the reader's understanding of the text material, and to enhance the skill in doing calculations. This book is written with these three things in mind.

A theory is the more impressive, the simpler are its premises, the more distinct are the things it connects, and the broader is its range of applicability. Albert Einstein There are two different ways of teaching mathematics, namely, (i) the systematic way, and (ii) the application-oriented way.

In preparing the second edition, I have taken advantage of the opportunity to correct errors as well as revise the presentation in many places. New material has been included, in addition, reflecting relevant recent work. The help of many colleagues (and especially Professor J. Stoer) in ferreting out errors is gratefully acknowledged. I also owe special thanks to Professor v. Sazonov for many discussions on the white noise theory in Chapter 6. February, 1981 A. V. BALAKRISHNAN v Preface to the First Edition The title "Applied Functional Analysis" is intended to be short for "Functional analysis in a Hilbert space and certain of its applications," the applications being drawn mostly from areas variously referred to as system optimization or control systems or systems analysis. One of the signs of the times is a discernible tilt toward application in mathematics and conversely a greater level of mathematical sophistication in the application areas such as economics or system science, both spurred undoubtedly by the heightening pace of digital computer usage.

Functional Analysis is a comprehensive, 2-volume treatment of a subject lying at the core of modern analysis and mathemati- cal physics. The first volume reviews basic concepts such as the measure, the integral, Banach spaces, bounded operators and generalized functions. Volume II moves on to more ad- vanced topics including unbounded operators, spectral decomposition, expansion in generalized eigenvectors, rigged spaces, and partial differential operators.