Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2001 / iii / Paper 7 / 3

An algebra involution is a conjugate-linear map $a\mapsto a^{\ast }$ satisfying $(ab{)}^{\ast }=b^{\ast }{a}^{\ast }$ and $(a^{\ast }{)}^{\ast }=a$; on a unital algebra it fixes $1$. In the Banach-star convention it is continuous, although the following spectral identity uses only its algebraic properties. An element $a$ is invertible precisely when $a^{\ast }$ is: its inverse is $(a^{-1}{)}^{\ast }$. Applying this to $a=\lambda 1-x$ provesFor a nonunital algebra, extend the involution to its unitization of an algebra by $(a,\lambda {)}^{\ast }=(a^{\ast },\overline{\lambda })$ and use the spectrum in that unitization; the same argument proves the identity.

A unital C-star algebra is a complex Banach algebra with an involution satisfying the C-star identity $\Vert a^{\ast }a\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^2$. A Normal element of a C-star algebra satisfies $x^{\ast }x=x{x}^{\ast }$. The norm identity for the nonzero identity implies $\Vert 1\Vert =1$.

Submultiplicativity and the C-star identity give $\Vert x{\Vert }^2=\Vert x^{\ast }x\Vert \le \Vert x^{\ast }\Vert \Vert x\Vert$. For $x\ne 0$ this implies $\Vert x\Vert \le \Vert x^{\ast }\Vert$. Apply the same argument to $x^{\ast }$ and use $x^{\ast \ast }=x$ for the reverse inequality; $x=0$ is immediate. Hence

For a self-adjoint C-star element $h$, the C-star identity gives $\Vert h^2\Vert =\Vert h{\Vert }^2$. If $x$ is a normal C-star element, thenAll powers are normal C-star elements, so induction gives $\Vert x^{2^j}\Vert =\Vert x{\Vert }^{2^j}$. The general spectral radius formula now gives $r(x)=\Vert x\Vert$.

One can also see the needed growth estimate directly. For $R>r(x)$ the resolvent Cauchy coefficient formula givesThe formula follows by the Neumann series on a larger circle and contour deformation through the resolvent annulus. Put $m=2^j$, take $m$th roots and let $j\to \infty$ to get $\Vert x\Vert \le R$. Let $R\downarrow r(x)$; the reverse inequality already follows from the norm bound on the algebra spectrum. ThusThis proves spectral radius norm equality for normal elements from the norm identity.

A algebra character $\phi$ is nonzero, linear and multiplicative, with $\phi (1)=1$. Since $\phi (a)\in {\sigma }_A(a)$, it satisfies $|\phi (a)|\le \Vert a\Vert$ and is automatically continuous. If $h=h^{\ast }$ and $t\in \mathbb{R}$, then $(e^{ith}{)}^{\ast }=e^{-ith}$, so $e^{ith}$ is a Unitary element of a C-star algebra and has norm one. HenceUsing both signs of $t$ forces $\mathrm{Im}\phi (h)=0$. Write $x=h+ik$ with $h=(x+x^{\ast })/2$ and $k=(x-x^{\ast })/(2i)$ both self-adjoint C-star elements. Their algebra character values are real, and thereforeThis is the conjugation in the original PDF; the converted TeX loses the bar.

For the final unheaded request, let $B=C^{\ast }(1,x)\subseteq A$. Normality makes this a commutative unital C-star subalgebra. We first justify spectral permanence, so that we do not silently use the possibly larger algebra spectrum in a mere non-star subalgebra. A self-adjoint C-star element $h$ in a C-star algebra has real algebra spectrum: $e^{ith}$ has norm one, and $\lambda \in \sigma (h)$ implies $e^{it\lambda }\in \sigma (e^{ith})$ for each real $t$. The latter assertion follows from the factorization $e^{ith}-e^{it\lambda }1=(h-\lambda 1)g_t(h)$ with commuting factors. An invertible product of commuting factors would make $h-\lambda 1$ invertible. Both signs of $t$ then force $\lambda \in \mathbb{R}$.

A compact subset of the real line has connected planar complement. Apply Question 1 to the self-adjoint C-star element $h\in B$: all of ${\rho }_A(h)$ is its unbounded component and is retained in $B$. Thus ${\sigma }_A(h)={\sigma }_B(h)$. If $a\in B$ is invertible in $A$, both $a^{\ast }a$ and $a{a}^{\ast }$ are self-adjoint C-star elements and invertible in $A$, hence invertible in $B$. The elements $(a^{\ast }a{)}^{-1}{a}^{\ast }$ and $a^{\ast }(a{a}^{\ast }{)}^{-1}$ are respectively a left and a right inverse in $B$, so coincide and give its inverse. This proves spectral permanence for C-star algebras.

In a commutative unital complex Banach algebra, algebra spectra are the ranges of the characters. Indeed a noninvertible $b-\lambda 1$ lies in a maximal ideal. Such an ideal is closed, since its proper closure cannot contain an element sufficiently near $1$. The quotient is a complex Banach division algebra; nonemptiness of the algebra spectrum in that quotient makes each element scalar, producing an algebra character with value $\lambda$ at $b$. Conversely, an algebra character value cannot correspond to an invertible difference.

Apply this to $B$. The preceding involution result gives $\phi (x^{\ast })=\overline{\phi (x)}$, and spectral permanence applies also to $p(x,x^{\ast })$. ConsequentlyThus the second argument is conjugated as in the original PDF, not a second copy of $\lambda$. This is the spectral mapping rule for a star polynomial in one normal element.