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The approximate point spectrum consists of the scalars $\lambda$ for which there are unit vectors $x_k$ satisfying $\Vert (T-\lambda I)x_k\Vert \to 0$. Equivalently, $T-\lambda I$ is not bounded below.

This is a part of the spectrum of a bounded operator.

For a bounded self-adjoint operator $L$ on a complex Hilbert space, defineThis equals the spectrum of a bounded operator after removing its isolated eigenvalues of finite multiplicity. To see isolation when the kernel is finite and the shifted range is closed, restrict the shifted operator to its kernel complement: it is invertible there by image-kernel orthogonality for an adjoint. A Neumann-series perturbation leaves nearby nonzero shifts invertible on that complement and on the finite kernel. The closed range must concern the shifted operator, not the original one.

Linear operator theory studies linear maps, their spectra, invariant subspaces, and normal forms such as Jordan normal form. In a finite-dimensional vector space, eigenvalues identify parameters for which a shifted linear operator cannot be inverted. In an infinite-dimensional vector space, inversion can fail even without an eigenvector. The spectrum of a bounded operator captures this larger obstruction and connects linear algebra with the approximation questions of functional analysis.

For a complex Banach space, the spectrum of a bounded operator and resolvent set areThe bounded inverse theorem says that a bounded bijection between Banach spaces automatically has a bounded inverse, so failure of bijectivity suffices here. The point spectrum isthe set of eigenvalues. For a real Banach space, these definitions use its complexification.

The spectrum of a bounded operator is $\sigma (T)=\{\lambda \in \mathbb{C}:T-\lambda I\text{ has no bounded everywhere-defined inverse}\}$. Initially define $T$ on finite linear combinations of the orthonormal basis. The bilateral shift operator $S{e}_n=e_{n+1}$ preserves the Hilbert space norm and extends to a unitary operator on $H$; its inverse is $S^{\ast }{e}_n=e_{n-1}$. Thus $T=S+S^{\ast }$ extends uniquely by density, is bounded with norm at most two, and is self-adjoint.

For $v_N=(2N+1{)}^{-1/2}{\sum }_{n=-N}^N{e}_n$, $\Vert v_N\Vert =1$ and the only nonzero coefficients of $(T-2I)v_N$ occur at $-N-1,-N,N,N+1$. HenceIt follows that $\Vert T{v}_N\Vert \to 2$, proving $\boxed{\Vert T\Vert =2}$. Also $\boxed{2\in \sigma (T)}$: a bounded inverse of $T-2I$ would give $1\le \Vert (T-2I{)}^{-1}\Vert \Vert (T-2I)v_N\Vert \to 0$. Thus two belongs to the approximate point spectrum.

An eigenvector $x=\sum x_n{e}_n$ would satisfy $\lambda x_n=x_{n-1}+x_{n+1}$. Self-adjointness and the norm bound force $\lambda \in [-2,2]$. If $|\lambda |<2$, write $\lambda =2\cos \theta$ with $0<\theta <\pi$; the general complex solution of the linear recurrence relation isThe Cesàro mean of $|x_n{|}^2$ over $n=-N,\dots ,N$ tends to $|A{|}^2+|B{|}^2$, since the mixed geometric sum divided by $2N+1$ tends to zero. For an ${\ell }^2$ sequence the same mean tends to zero. Therefore $A=B=0$. At $\lambda =\pm 2$, the general solution is $(A+Bn)(\pm 1{)}^n$, again square summable only when zero. This also covers $\lambda =0$ through $\theta =\pi /2$. Thus $\boxed{T\text{ has no eigenvectors}}$.

Finally the bounded sequence $e_{3j}$ has images $T{e}_{3j}=e_{3j-1}+e_{3j+1}$ with pairwise disjoint supports. Distinct images have distance two, so no subsequence converges. Hence $\boxed{T\text{ is not compact}}$.

Work over a complex Hilbert space; for a real space one first complexifies to discuss a complex spectrum. A bounded linear operator $L$ is self-adjoint when $L=L^{\ast }$, where the adjoint operator is defined byEquivalently, $⟨Lh,k⟩=⟨h,Lk⟩$ for every pair of vectors.

The spectrum of a bounded operator isIts complement is the resolvent set. On a Banach space, a bounded bijective operator has a bounded inverse by the bounded inverse theorem, so failure of invertibility is equivalent to failure of bijectivity. An eigenvalue is one possible spectral point, but an injective operator that is not onto can also contribute to the spectrum.

We first prove the needed Fredholm alternative for a compact operator without assuming self-adjointness. If $C$ is compact, the finite-rank approximation theorem for compact operators on a Hilbert space follows directly by covering the compact closure of $C$'s unit-ball image by finitely many balls of radius $\epsilon$, spanning their centers by a finite-dimensional space $E$, and using the orthogonal projection $P_E$. Then $\Vert C-P_{E}C\Vert \le \epsilon$.

Choose a finite-rank $F$ with $\Vert C-F\Vert <1$, put $E_0=C-F$, and factorThe first factor is invertible by the Neumann series, and $G$ has finite rank. With $V=\mathrm{ran}G$ and $H=V\oplus V^{\perp }$, the second factor has the triangular formIt is injective precisely when the finite-dimensional block $I_V-G{|}_V$ is injective, and onto precisely when that block is onto. These properties are equivalent in finite dimension. This proves that $I-C$ is injective if and only if it is onto; in that case its inverse is bounded.

For $\lambda \ne 0$, apply this result to $C=K/\lambda$. If $\lambda$ lies in the spectrum of a bounded operator $K$, then $K-\lambda I$ is not invertible, hence is not injective. Therefore every nonzero spectral point of $K$ is an eigenvalue. On its eigenspace $E_{\lambda }$, the operator $K$ equals $\lambda I$. Compactness of $K$ would make the closed unit ball of $E_{\lambda }$ compact after dividing by $\lambda$; part (a) forces $\dim E_{\lambda }<\infty$.

It remains to rule out infinitely many distinct eigenvalues away from zero. Suppose $|{\lambda }_n|\ge \epsilon >0$ are distinct, with respective eigenvectors $v_n$. Distinct eigenvalues give linearly independent eigenvectors. Let $V_n=\mathrm{span}(v_1,\dots ,v_n)$ and choose a unit vector $h_n\in V_n\cap V_{n-1}^{\perp }$. Since $V_n$ is invariant and $(K-{\lambda }_{n}I)V_n\subset V_{n-1}$,For $m<n$, $K{h}_m\in V_{n-1}$, and orthogonality gives $\Vert K{h}_n-K{h}_m\Vert \ge |{\lambda }_n|\ge \epsilon$. This contradicts compactness. Thus for each $\epsilon >0$ there are only finitely many distinct spectral points with modulus at least $\epsilon$.

Taking $\epsilon =1/j$ shows that the nonzero spectrum is countable; if it is infinite, its distinct elements can be enumerated as a sequence tending to zero. Since the spectrum is closed, zero then also belongs to it. In an infinite-dimensional space zero belongs to the spectrum even if there are only finitely many nonzero spectral points: an invertible compact $K$ would make $I=K^{-1}K$ compact, contradicting part (a). The only possible accumulation point is zero, and every nonzero eigenspace is finite-dimensional. Zero need not be an eigenvalue. The argument uses invariant spans, not an orthogonal eigenbasis, which is unavailable for a general non-self-adjoint compact operator.

Use the corrected essential spectrum of a bounded self-adjoint operator and put $A=L-\lambda I$. Essential spectral points are real. If $\ker A$ is infinite-dimensional, choose an orthonormal sequence in the kernel. It converges weakly to zero by the Bessel inequality, and its residuals vanish.

If $\ker A$ is finite-dimensional, membership in the essential spectrum means the range is not closed. Choose unit $v_n\in (\ker A{)}^{\perp }$ with $A{v}_n\to 0$, using the closed-range bound on the kernel complement. A bounded Hilbert space sequence has a weakly convergent subsequence. Its weak limit $v$ satisfies $Av=0$ because bounded operators preserve weak convergence, and $v\in (\ker A{)}^{\perp }$; hence $v=0$. This subsequence is a singular Weyl sequence.

Conversely a singular Weyl sequence first places $\lambda$ in the spectrum of a bounded operator. If it were not essential, the sequential properness for a self-adjoint operator equivalence for $A$ would yield a norm-convergent subsequence. Its weak limit is zero, whereas norm convergence of unit vectors gives a unit norm limit, a contradiction. ThereforeFor nonreal $\lambda$, the resolvent lower bound excludes such a sequence, so the equivalence covers all $\lambda \in \mathbb{C}$.

No. On the complex l2 sequence space, let $L(x_n)=(x_n/n)$. This is a bounded self-adjoint operator. At $\lambda =0$, $\ker L=\{0\}$, so zero is not an eigenvalue (an eigenvector must be nonzero). But $y=(1/n)\in {\ell }^2$ has no preimage in ${\ell }^2$: its only formal preimage is the constant-one sequence. Thus $L$ is not surjective andAlternatively $\Vert L{e}_n\Vert =1/n\to 0$ excludes a bounded inverse. This example separates the spectrum of a bounded operator from its point spectrum.

If unit vectors $f_n$ satisfy $(L-\lambda I)f_n\to 0$, a bounded inverse would give $1\le \Vert (L-\lambda I{)}^{-1}\Vert \Vert (L-\lambda I)f_n\Vert \to 0$. Hence $\lambda$ belongs to the spectrum of a bounded operator.

Conversely a spectral point is real by the preceding argument. Put $A=L-\lambda I$, again a self-adjoint operator. If ${\inf }_{\Vert f\Vert =1}\Vert Af\Vert >0$, then $A$ is injective with closed range. Its range is dense by image-kernel orthogonality for an adjoint, so it is bijective with a bounded inverse, a contradiction. Thus this infimum is zero; choose unit $f_n$ with $\Vert A{f}_n\Vert <1/n$. We have provedSuch a sequence is a spectral Weyl sequence. No weak convergence is required here; nonreal $\lambda$ are ruled out by the lower bound in the preceding solution.

For a bounded linear operator $T$ on a complex Hilbert space, the spectrum of a bounded operator consists of $\lambda \in \mathbb{C}$ for which $T-\lambda I$ does not have a bounded everywhere-defined inverse. A bijective bounded operator has a bounded inverse by the bounded inverse theorem. Using the disjoint spectral convention,These are respectively the point spectrum, continuous spectrum and residual spectrum, and partition the spectrum. Some texts let residual spectrum include noninjective operators with nondense range; the displayed convention excludes overlap with point spectrum.

A computational problem in the SCI hierarchy is a quadrupleHere $\Omega$ is the primary set of inputs, $\Lambda$ is the set of permitted evaluation functions, $(\mathcal{M},d)$ is the output metric space, and $\Xi :\Omega \to \mathcal{M}$ is the problem function. The Solvability complexity index is defined from the minimum height of a tower of algorithms that computes $\Xi$ from finite subsets of $\Lambda$.

For the classical computational spectral problem, takeandSince the spectrum of a bounded operator is a nonempty compact subset of the complex numbers, one may take $\mathcal{M}$ to be the nonempty compact subsets of $\mathbb{C}$ with the Hausdorff distance. The Attouch--Wets topology gives an equivalent convenient formulation on bounded spectral sets and also extends naturally to unbounded closed sets. This choice of $\mathcal{M}$ makes convergence mean convergence of the whole spectrum as a set, including both the absence of persistent spectral pollution and the approximation of every genuine spectral point.

For a bounded linear operator $T:X\to X$ on a complex Banach space, the point spectrum is precisely its set of eigenvalues:Here $I$ is the identity operator. Thus membership requires an actual nonzero eigenvector, whereas the spectrum of a bounded operator only requires failure of a bounded inverse. Every eigenvalue belongs to the spectrum, but the inclusion can be strict. The multiplication operator discussed below has an entire interval in its spectrum and empty point spectrum.^[ref]

In the disjoint convention for a bounded linear operator $T$, the residual spectrum consists of $\lambda$ for which $T-\lambda I$ is injective but has nondense range. Together with the point spectrum and continuous spectrum it partitions the spectrum of a bounded operator. Some conventions also include noninjective operators with nondense range, so the convention must be stated.

For a bounded self-adjoint operator $L$, a spectral Weyl sequence at $\lambda$ consists of unit vectors $f_n$ with $\Vert (L-\lambda I)f_n\Vert \to 0$. Such a sequence exists exactly at points of the spectrum of a bounded operator. If no sequence exists, the shifted operator is bounded below, with closed range and zero kernel. Self-adjointness then makes its range dense, so it is invertible. This spectral criterion is different from the equidistribution Weyl criterion.