MATH 4010 (2014-15) Functional Analysis CUHK

Suggested Solution to Homework 7

Yu Mei†

P207, 11.(Unitary equivalence) Let S and T be linear operators on a Hilbert space H. The operator S is
said to be unitarily equivalent to T if there is a unitary operator U on H such that

S = U T U −1 = U T U ∗ .

If T is self-adjoint, show that S is self-adjoint.

Proof. Suppose T is self-adjoint and S is unitarily equivalent to T . Then, it follows from the properties of
Hilbert-adjoint operators that

S ∗ = (U T U ∗ )∗ = (U ∗ )∗ (U T )∗ = U T ∗ U ∗ = U T U ∗ = S.

Therefore, S is also self-adjoint. 

P208, 13. If Tn : H → H(n = 1, 2, · · · ) are normal linear operators and Tn → T , show that T is a normal
linear operator.
Proof. It is clear that T is a bounded linear operator. It follows from the properties of Hilbert-adjoint
operators that

kTn∗ Tn − T ∗ T k ≤ kTn∗ Tn − Tn∗ T k + kTn∗ T − T ∗ T k

≤ kTn∗ kkTn − T k + kTn∗ − T ∗ kkT k
= kTn kkTn − T k + kTn − T kkT k → 0, as n → +∞,

since Tn → T . Then, since Tn is normal, i.e. Tn Tn∗ = Tn∗ Tn , it holds that

kT T ∗ − T ∗ T k ≤ kT T ∗ − Tn Tn∗ k + kTn Tn∗ − T ∗ T k

= k(T ∗ T − Tn∗ Tn )∗ k + kTn∗ Tn − T ∗ T k
= 2kTn∗ Tn − T ∗ T k → 0, as n → +∞.

Therefore, T T ∗ = T ∗ T , i.e. T is normal. 

P208, 14. If S and T are normal linear operators satisfying ST ∗ = T ∗ S and T S ∗ = S ∗ T , show that their sum
S + T and product ST are normal.
Proof.

(S + T )(S + T )∗ = (S + T )(S ∗ + T ∗ )
= SS ∗ + ST ∗ + T S ∗ + T T ∗
= S∗S + T ∗S + S∗T + T ∗T
= (S ∗ + T ∗ )(S + T )
= (S + T )∗ (S + T ),
† Email address: ymei@math.cuhk.edu.hk. (Any questions are welcome!)

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MATH 4010 (2014-15) Functional Analysis CUHK

and

(ST )(ST )∗ = ST T ∗ S ∗ = ST ∗ T S ∗ = T ∗ SS ∗ T = T ∗ S ∗ ST = (ST )∗ ST.

Therefore, S + T, ST are normal. 

P208, 15.Show that a bounded linear operator T : H → H on a complex Hilbert space H is normal if and
only if kT ∗ xk = kT xk for all x ∈ H. Using this, show that for a normal linear operator,

kT 2 k = kT k2 .

Proof. By the definition of adjoint operator,

kT xk2 = hT x, T xi = hx, T ∗ T xi

and
kT ∗ xk2 = hT ∗ x, T ∗ xi = hx, T T ∗ xi.
Then T is normal, i.e. T T ∗ = T ∗ T if and only if kT xk = kT ∗ xk.
Since, for any x ∈ H,
kT 2 xk ≤ kT kkT xk ≤ kT kkT kkxk,
it yields that
kT 2 k ≤ kT k2 .
On the other hand, for any x ∈ H, it holds that

kT 2 xk2 = hT 2 x, T 2 xi = hT x, T ∗ T 2 xi
= hT x, T T ∗ T xi = hT ∗ T x, T ∗ T xi
= kT ∗ T xk2 .

Then,

kT xk2 = hT x, T xi = hT ∗ T x, xi ≤ kT ∗ T xkkxk ≤ kT 2 xkkxk ≤ kT 2 kkxk2 ,

that is,
kT k2 ≤ kT 2 k.
Hence, kT 2 k = kT k2 .