Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2025 / iii / Paper 358 / 1 / i / Solution

Let $M={\max }_{S}u$ and suppose $u(z_0)=M$. The sub-mean inequality on every closed disk contained in $S$ givesEquality holds throughout. If $u$ were strictly below $M$ at one point of the circle, upper semicontinuity would make it uniformly below $M$ on a small arc, contradicting equality of the average. Thus $u=M$ on every sufficiently small circle centered at $z_0$, and hence throughout a neighborhood of $z_0$.

The set $\{u=M\}$ is therefore open. It is also closed because upper semicontinuity makes $\{u<M\}$ open. Since the domain is connected and $\{u=M\}$ is nonempty, it is all of $S$. This proves the maximum principle for subharmonic functions.

LetThe resolvent set is open, and the resolvent of an element is operator-valued holomorphic on each of its components. Fix $z_0$ in the resolvent set. For any $\delta >0$, choose unit vectors $x,y$ such thatThe scalar function $f(z)=⟨R(z)x,y⟩$ is holomorphic. Its modulus is subharmonic, soLetting $\delta \downarrow 0$ proves that the resolvent norm is subharmonic on the resolvent component containing $z_0$.

Use the convention that the reciprocal resolvent norm is zero on the spectrum. Suppose a bounded component $U$ ofcontained no spectral point. A spectral point in its boundary would belong to the same pseudospectral component, so $\overline{U}$ is contained in the resolvent set. On $\partial U$ one has $\Vert R(z)\Vert \le {ϵ}^{-1}$, whereas inside $U$ one has $\Vert R(z)\Vert >{ϵ}^{-1}$. Continuity on the compact set $\overline{U}$ makes the resolvent norm attain a maximum at an interior point. The subharmonic maximum principle would make it constant, contradicting its boundary values. Hence every bounded component of the pseudospectrum contains spectrum: