Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 106 2 b 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
First construct the spectral measure of a normal operator and prove the open-set assertion needed for all three numbered conclusions. The algebra generated by and is commutative because is a normal operator. The Gelfand transform identifies with . By spectral permanence for C-star algebras,is onto: its image is the spectrum of in , which is also its spectrum in . It is injective because a character is determined by its values on and , and . Thus is a homeomorphism. Apply part (a) and setThis is a projection-valued measure with andThe associated continuous functional calculus is isometric: for .
If is nonempty and relatively open, choose and a nonzero continuous supported inside , for example a small continuous bump about in the metric of . If , then , contradicting . ThereforeThis proves the claim from faithfulness of the representation rather than assuming it as part of the spectral theorem.
Now take an isolated point . Its singleton is relatively open, so . Multiplication of spectral integrals givesThus its range is contained in the eigenspace . Conversely, for in that kernel, the positive scalar spectral measure satisfiesIt follows that , and hence . ConsequentlyThe identification of this projection with the eigenspace holds even for a non-isolated ; isolation guarantees that it is nonzero.