Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / iii / Paper 327 / 1 / a

Using multi-index notation, the Schwartz space isA sequence ${\phi }_m$ converges to $\phi$ in this Fréchet space when $p_{\alpha ,\beta }({\phi }_m-\phi )\to 0$ for every $\alpha ,\beta$. The space ${\mathcal{S}}^{\prime }({\mathbb{R}}^n)$ of tempered distributions is the continuous dual of $\mathcal{S}({\mathbb{R}}^n)$, and $u_m\to u$ there means weak convergence of distributions, namely $⟨u_m,\phi ⟩\to ⟨u,\phi ⟩$ for every $\phi \in \mathcal{S}$.

Continuity of a linear functional immediately implies that ${\phi }_m\to 0$ entails $⟨u,{\phi }_m⟩\to 0$. Conversely, enumerate the Schwartz seminorms as $p_1,p_2,\dots$. If $u$ were not continuous, then for each $m$ one could choose ${\phi }_m$ such thatEvery fixed seminorm tends to zero along this sequence, so ${\phi }_m\to 0$ in $\mathcal{S}$, contradicting the assumed sequential property. This is the sequential continuity criterion for a linear map on a metrizable topological vector space.