Using multi-index notation, the Schwartz space is
A sequence converges to in this Fréchet space when for every . The space of tempered distributions is the continuous dual of , and there means weak convergence of distributions, namely for every .
Continuity of a linear functional immediately implies that entails . Conversely, enumerate the Schwartz seminorms as . If were not continuous, then for each one could choose such that
Every fixed seminorm tends to zero along this sequence, so in , contradicting the assumed sequential property. This is the sequential continuity criterion for a linear map on a metrizable topological vector space.
The Schwartz space on the real line is
These seminorms define its Fréchet space topology. The space of tempered distributions is its continuous dual space,
With the angular-frequency convention, the Fourier transform of a Schwartz function is
It maps continuously to itself. The transform of is defined through the dual pairing:
up to the fixed reflection and factor if the inverse-transform convention is used for the test function.
Space of smooth functions 2026-09-28
For an open set , the space carries the Fréchet topology in which exactly when every derivative converges uniformly on every compact set contained in .