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On a positive compact interval, both even-power and odd-power complex polynomial families are uniformly dense in the continuous-function algebra. The even family is a conjugation-closed unital algebra separating points, since squaring is injective on the interval; the Stone-Weierstrass theorem proves its density. Equivalently use the homeomorphism $t\mapsto t^2$ and polynomial approximation on $[a^2,b^2]$. For the odd family, given a target $f$, first approximate $f/t$ by an even polynomial $p(t^2)$. Then $tp(t^2)$ is odd and its error is at most $b$ times the first error. Division is continuous because the interval avoids zero. Thus the odd family can be dense even though it is not a unital subalgebra.

On $[0,1]$, polynomials in $t^2$ form a unital algebra closed under complex conjugation separating points, so the Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes them dense in the continuous complex functions. Their approximation can preserve both endpoint values exactly. Given $\Vert a-p(t^2){\Vert }_{\infty }<\eta$, add $[a(0)-p(0)](1-t^2)+[a(1)-p(1)]t^2$. This is still an even polynomial, fixes both endpoints, and changes the approximation by at most $\eta$, since its correction is a convex combination of the endpoint errors. Taking $\eta <\epsilon /2$ yields any prescribed uniform error $\epsilon$.

For a commutative complex unital Banach algebra, its Gelfand transform is a continuous unital algebra homomorphism into the continuous functions on its compact character space. The values of the transform of $a$ are exactly ${\sigma }_A(a)$, so $\Vert \hat{a}{\Vert }_{\infty }=r(a)$. Its kernel is the intersection of the kernels of the algebra characters. For a commutative C-star algebra, spectral radius norm equality for normal elements and the Stone-Weierstrass theorem upgrade this to an isometric C-star homomorphism onto $C(\Delta (A))$.

On $[a,b]\subset (0,1)$, the uniform closure of integer-coefficient polynomials contains $1/2$, since ${\sum }_{j=0}^{N}x(1-2x{)}^j\to 1/2$ uniformly. This closure is a ring, so it contains all dyadic constants and then all real constants. It contains $x$ and therefore every real-coefficient polynomial. The Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes it all of $C([a,b])$. On an interval including zero this fails, since the value of an integer-coefficient polynomial at zero is an integer.

A unital Banach star-algebra is a complex unital Banach algebra with a continuous conjugate-linear algebra involution satisfyingThe algebra norm is complete and submultiplicative, with the unit conventionally normalized to norm one. Many definitions additionally require the involution to be isometric, $\Vert a^{\ast }\Vert =\Vert a\Vert$; the function algebra here satisfies this stronger convention as well. A Banach star-algebra does not by definition require the extra C-star identity $\Vert a^{\ast }a\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^2$.

Here is the lattice proof of the Stone-Weierstrass theorem in its complex self-adjoint form. Let $B$ be the uniform closure of the given unital star-subalgebra in $C(\Omega )$, and let $B_{\mathbb{R}}$ be its real-valued part. Closure preserves multiplication and complex conjugation, so $B$ is still a unital star-algebra. Real and imaginary parts lie in $B_{\mathbb{R}}$, and separation by the complex algebra implies separation by its real-valued part.

For $h\in B_{\mathbb{R}}$, polynomial approximation of absolute value on a bounded interval gives $|h|\in B_{\mathbb{R}}$. For example, this polynomial approximation follows from the binomial series for the square root, whose coefficients give uniform convergence on the relevant closed interval. Thusalso lie in $B_{\mathbb{R}}$. It is therefore a lattice of functions.

To see how the lattice gives density, fix a real continuous target $f$ and a tolerance $ϵ>0$. For any two distinct points $x,y$, separation and constants provide $h_{xy}\in B_{\mathbb{R}}$ with $h_{xy}(x)=f(x)$ and $h_{xy}(y)=f(y)$, by an affine rescaling of a separating function. For $x=y$, use the constant $f(x)$.

Fix $x$. The sets where $h_{xy}>f-ϵ$ cover $\Omega$ as $y$ varies. A finite subcover and a pointwise maximum give $g_x\in B_{\mathbb{R}}$ with $g_x>f-ϵ$ everywhere and $g_x(x)=f(x)$. The neighborhoods where $g_x<f+ϵ$ now cover $\Omega$ as $x$ varies. A second finite subcover and a pointwise minimum give $h\in B_{\mathbb{R}}$ satisfyingThis is lattice approximation from two-point approximation. Using half the desired tolerance gives strict uniform error below the desired bound. Since $B_{\mathbb{R}}$ is closed, it contains every real continuous function. Splitting a complex function into real and imaginary parts proves $\boxed{B=C(\Omega )}$.

The annulus test. For the closed annulus, the family holomorphic in the interior is not dense in the full continuous-function algebra. A uniform limit on the annulus is locally uniform in its interior, so locally uniform convergence of holomorphic functions makes that limit holomorphic there. Thus the proposed family is closed in $C(\Omega )$. It is proper because $z\mapsto \overline{z}$ is continuous but not holomorphic on the annulus interior.

There is also an explicit continuous functional detecting the obstruction. Choose a small closed disk of radius $r$ contained in the annulus interior and let $L(h)$ be the integral of $h(z)dz$ around its positively oriented boundary. The Cauchy integral theorem gives $L(h)=0$ for every member of the holomorphic family, while parametrizing the circle gives $L(\overline{z})=2\pi i{r}^2\ne 0$. Since $|L(h)|\le 2\pi r\Vert h{\Vert }_{\infty }$, no uniform approximation of $\overline{z}$ by that family is possible.

Use the source's notation for the vanishing-at-zero ideal $I=\{f\in C[0,1]:f(0)=0\}$. It is the kernel of bounded evaluation at zero, hence closed. It is stable under pointwise multiplication and complex conjugation, so inherits the C-star identity and completeness. If it had an identity $e$, multiplication against $f(t)=t$ would give $e(t)=1$ for $t>0$, contradicting continuity and $e(0)=0$. Thus $I$ is a non-unital C-star subalgebra. This explicit meaning of the notation matters because the usual notation $C_0$ for a compact space has a different convention.

Define the unitization map by $\Phi (f,\lambda )=f+\lambda 1$. Its inverse is $h\mapsto (h-h(0),h(0))$. The specified multiplication and involution are preserved by direct substitution. The pullback norm $\Vert (f,\lambda )\Vert =\Vert f+\lambda 1{\Vert }_{\infty }$ is a C-star norm, so equals the unique unitization norm supplied in the question. Therefore $\Phi$ is a unital isometric C-star isomorphism onto $C[0,1]$.

For the approximation put $h(s)=a(\sqrt{s})$ on $[0,1]$, so $h$ is continuous and $h(0)=0$. The Stone-Weierstrass theorem supplies a polynomial $p(s)$ with $\Vert h-p{\Vert }_{\infty }<\epsilon /2$. Then $b(t)=p(t^2)-p(0)$ is a polynomial in the positive even powers of $t$, with zero constant term, andThis gives exactly the required finite form.

For the real lattice version of the Stone-Weierstrass theorem, let $f\in C_{\mathbb{R}}(\Omega )$ and $\epsilon >0$. For any $x,y\in \Omega$, separation of points and constants give $h_{xy}\in L$ matching $f$ at both $x$ and $y$: take an affine combination of a separating function, and for $x=y$ take a constant. Fix $x$. The open sets where $h_{xy}>f-\epsilon$ cover $\Omega$ as $y$ varies. Compactness gives finitely many such functions; their maximum $g_x$ belongs to the lattice $L$, satisfies $g_x>f-\epsilon$ everywhere, and has $g_x(x)=f(x)$. The open sets where $g_x<f+\epsilon$ now cover $\Omega$ as $x$ varies. Choose finitely many and take their minimum $h\in L$. Then $f-\epsilon <h<f+\epsilon$ everywhere. Thus $L$ is uniformly dense in the real continuous functions.

For the complex *-algebra, its real subalgebra $A_{\mathbb{R}}$ of Hermitian C-star elements contains the real and imaginary parts of every member. It separates points, because at least one of those parts distinguishes any pair distinguished by a complex function. Its uniform closure is a unital real subalgebra and is a lattice by the allowed result. The real theorem makes this closure all of $C_{\mathbb{R}}(\Omega )$. Approximating the real and imaginary parts separately proves $A$ is uniformly dense in $C(\Omega )$.

On $[0,1]$, the algebra of polynomials in $t^2$ is unital, closed under conjugation, and separates points because $t\mapsto t^2$ is injective there. Choose $p(t^2)$ within $\epsilon /3$ of $a(t)$, and correct its endpoints byThis is still a polynomial in $t^2$ and has exactly the requested endpoint values. The correction has absolute value at most $\epsilon /3$, because it is a convex combination of two errors of that size. Therefore

A unital C-star algebra is a complex Banach algebra $A$ with a multiplicative identity $1_A$ and a conjugate-linear involution $a\mapsto a^{\ast }$ satisfying $(ab{)}^{\ast }=b^{\ast }{a}^{\ast }$ and the C-star identity $\Vert a^{\ast }a\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^2$. A C-star isomorphism $\Phi :A\to B$ is a bijective complex-linear map preserving products and the involution. It carries $1_A$ to $1_B$ and is automatically isometric.

For a commutative unital C-star algebra, let $\Omega$ be its maximal ideal space, equivalently the space of Gelfand characters, with the weak-star topology. A Gelfand character has $\chi (1)=1$ and $\Vert \chi \Vert =1$. The equations $\chi (ab)=\chi (a)\chi (b)$ and $\chi (1)=1$ define a closed in the weak-star topology subset of the dual unit ball. The Banach-Alaoglu theorem makes $\Omega$ a compact Hausdorff space. Maximal ideals give characters by the Gelfand-Mazur theorem, and the Banach algebra spectrum satisfies $\sigma (a)=\{\chi (a):\chi \in \Omega \}$.

The Gelfand transform is $\hat{a}(\chi )=\chi (a)$. It preserves products, constants and the involution; the latter uses the fact that characters of a C-star algebra respect the involution. Every element of a commutative C-star algebra is normal, so the C-star identity and the spectral radius formula giveThus its image is a closed self-adjoint subalgebra of $C(\Omega )$, contains the constants, and separates characters. The complex Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes that image dense and therefore all of $C(\Omega )$. This is the Commutative Gelfand--Naimark theorem.

For the convergent sequence space $c$, coordinatewise multiplication satisfies $\Vert \alpha \beta {\Vert }_{\infty }\le \Vert \alpha {\Vert }_{\infty }\Vert \beta {\Vert }_{\infty }$, and coordinatewise complex conjugation is an involution. The constant sequence $1$ is the identity, andIt is complete: a uniform limit of convergent sequences is convergent, so $c$ is a closed linear subspace of the Banach space ${\ell }_{\infty }$. Hence it is a commutative unital C-star algebra.

TakeEvery finite point is isolated, and the neighbourhoods of $\infty$ contain all but finitely many integers. This is a compact Hausdorff space: an open cover has a set containing $\infty$, leaving only finitely many points to cover. DefineContinuity at $\infty$ is exactly convergence of the sequence. Thus $\Phi$ is onto $C(\Omega )$, and pointwise operations show it is a C-star isomorphism with $\Vert \Phi \alpha {\Vert }_{\infty }=\Vert \alpha {\Vert }_{\infty }$. Explicitly, these are all Gelfand characters: each $\chi (e_n)$ is $0$ or $1$ and at most one is $1$. If $\chi (e_n)=1$, multiplication by $e_n$ gives $\chi (\alpha )={\alpha }_n$. If all vanish, density of finitely supported sequences in l-p in $c_0$ gives $\chi {|}_{c_0}=0$, so $\chi (\alpha )=\lim {\alpha }_n$.

The Weierstrass approximation theorem asserts that every real continuous function on a compact interval is a uniform limit of polynomials. An affine change of variable reduces the interval to $[0,1]$. There are two complementary routes: construct positive approximation operators, or construct an algebra dense enough to approximate absolute values and hence pointwise maxima and minima.

For the first route, the Korovkin theorem reduces convergence of positive linear operators on continuous functions $L_n$ to the three tests $1,t,t^2$. Here is its proof. Given $f\in C[0,1]$ and $\epsilon >0$, uniform continuity supplies a $\delta >0$ such that $|f(t)-f(x)|<\epsilon$ for $|t-x|<\delta$. For all $t,x$ one then hasApply positivity to the two real inequalities obtained from this bound. At $x$ this givesThe expression in brackets is nonnegative and tends uniformly to zero by the three test assumptions. Also $L_{n}1\to 1$ uniformly. Taking the upper limit of the supremum norm and then letting $\epsilon \downarrow 0$ proves convergence for every $f$. This is the quadratic barrier estimate for positive approximation operators.

The Bernstein polynomial supplies the constructive corollaryThe binomial theorem makes its nonnegative weights sum to one. Differentiating the binomial theorem, or using the first two binomial distribution moments, givesThe Korovkin theorem proves $B_{n}f\to f$ uniformly, and each $B_{n}f$ is a polynomial, proving the Weierstrass approximation theorem. The same criterion gives the Schoenberg spline operator convergence in Solution 3. For periodic functions its counterpart uses $1,\cos t,\sin t$: the nonnegative barrier $1-\cos (t-x)$ is bounded away from zero outside any fixed small arc. This periodic Korovkin test set gives convergence of the normalized Fejér sums and density of trigonometric polynomials.

The Lebesgue convergence criterion for approximation operators addresses stability. Suppose bounded linear operators $L_n:C[a,b]\to C[a,b]$ converge to the identity on every polynomial. Then they converge on every continuous function if and only if ${\sup }_n\Vert L_n\Vert <\infty$. Sufficiency is the extension of approximation operators from a dense subspace: for a polynomial $p$ with $\Vert f-p\Vert <\eta$ and a common bound $M$,First let $n\to \infty$, then $\eta \downarrow 0$. Necessity follows from the Uniform boundedness principle, since a convergent $L_{n}f$ is bounded for every $f$. Applied to approximation projectors, the Lebesgue inequality for approximation projectors isIndeed $P_{n}v=v$ makes $f-P_{n}f=(f-v)-P_n(f-v)$; take the infimum. Thus density of the ranges and a uniform bound on the Lebesgue constants of interpolation imply convergence. Density alone does not control a sequence of interpolation projectors.

There is also a kernel version of this stability criterion, useful for trigonometric polynomial approximation. If integrable periodic kernels $K_n$ have uniformly bounded $L^1$ norms, their integrals tend to one, and ${\int }_{|t|\ge \delta }|K_n(t)|dt\to 0$ for every $\delta >0$, then convolution with $K_n$ converges uniformly to every continuous periodic function. Subtract $f(x)\int K_n$ and split the error into a small arc, bounded by $\omega (f,\delta ){\sup }_n\Vert K_n{\Vert }_1$, and its complement, bounded by $2\Vert f{\Vert }_{\infty }{\int }_{|t|\ge \delta }|K_n|$. The remaining mass error tends to zero. This approximate identity argument shows directly why nonnegative unit-mass Fejér kernels work even though ordinary Fourier partial sums need not converge uniformly for every continuous target.

Lebesgue's constructive approach to the Weierstrass approximation theorem starts instead with the absolute value. On $[-1,1]$ define the polynomial recurrence for the absolute valueInduction gives $0\le p_r(x)\le |x|$, monotonicity, andThe pointwise limit satisfies $p(x{)}^2=x^2$ and is nonnegative, hence equals $|x|$. Dini's theorem makes the convergence uniform. More explicitly, the continuous decreasing errors have, for any positive tolerance, open sublevel sets covering the compact interval; a finite subcover supplies one index valid everywhere. Every continuous piecewise linear function has the formThe $c_j$ are its changes in slope. Scaling and translating the absolute-value approximation shows that $L$ is uniformly approximable by polynomials. Solution 4, or polygonal interpolation and uniform continuity, makes these piecewise linear functions dense in $C[a,b]$. Approximating $f$ first by $L$ and then by a polynomial is another complete proof of the Weierstrass approximation theorem.

The Stone-Weierstrass theorem generalizes from intervals to a compact Hausdorff space $K$: a real subalgebra $A\subseteq C(K,\mathbb{R})$ containing the constants and separating points is uniformly dense. Its proof uses the same absolute-value mechanism. The uniform closure of a function algebra is an algebra. If $a$ belongs to this closure, approximation of $|t|$ by polynomials on a bounded interval containing its range proves that $|a|$ also belongs to the closure. Therefore the closure containsPoint separation and constants allow exact interpolation of any two real values: choose $h\in A$ with $h(s)\ne h(t)$ and solve for $\alpha ,\beta$ in $\alpha h+\beta$. The lattice approximation from two-point approximation proved in Solution 4 now makes the closure all of $C(K,\mathbb{R})$.

The complex version requires a unital, point-separating subalgebra closed under complex conjugation. Its real-valued members separate points using real or imaginary parts, so the real result approximates both parts of every complex target. Conjugation closure is essential: polynomials in $z$ alone on the closed unit disk cannot approximate $\overline{z}$ uniformly, because ${\int }_{|z|=1}p(z)dz=0$ whereas ${\int }_{|z|=1}\overline{z}dz=2\pi i$.

Among the corollaries are density of multivariate polynomials on compact subsets of real Euclidean space, since coordinates separate points, and density of trigonometric polynomials on the circle, since sine and cosine separate points there. On a compact interval, polynomials with rational coefficients are a countable dense family, giving separability of $C[a,b]$. The real and complex approximation results above concern uniform approximation of continuous targets; neither asserts convergence of arbitrary interpolation schemes or arbitrary Fourier series.

A C-star algebra is a complex Banach algebra with a conjugate-linear involution satisfying $(ab{)}^{\ast }=b^{\ast }{a}^{\ast }$ and $\Vert a^{\ast }a\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^2$. The inequality $\Vert a{\Vert }^2\le \Vert a^{\ast }\Vert \Vert a\Vert$, and then the same inequality for $a^{\ast }$, show that the involution is isometric. In a nonzero unital C-star algebra, the identity has norm one.

For a Hermitian algebra element $h$, the exponential $e^{ith}$ is unitary for real $t$ and has norm one. If $\lambda \in \sigma (h)$, then $e^{it\lambda }\in \sigma (e^{ith})$: factoring $e^{itz}-e^{it\lambda }=(z-\lambda )q(z)$ with entire $q$ proves this, since the evaluated factors commute. Hence $|e^{it\lambda }|\le 1$ for all positive and negative $t$, forcing $\mathrm{Im}\lambda =0$. Thus Hermitian algebra elements have real Banach algebra spectrum.

For a normal C-star element $a$, commutation of $a,a^{\ast }$ givesThe middle equality of norms uses the C-star identity on the Hermitian algebra element $a^{\ast }a$. Iterating along powers $2^n$ and applying the spectral radius formula proves $r(a)=\Vert a\Vert$.

Now suppose $A$ is commutative and unital. Every maximal ideal is closed: if it were dense, it would contain an element within distance less than one of the identity, hence an invertible element by the Neumann series, which is impossible for a proper ideal. Its quotient is a complex Banach division algebra and is therefore $\mathbb{C}$ by the Gelfand-Mazur theorem. Maximal ideals thus give characters. Conversely, every character $\phi$ satisfies $\phi (a)\in {\sigma }_A(a)$, because applying it to an inverse of $a-\phi (a)1$ would give a contradiction. Characters are consequently contractive. The converse spectral inclusion follows by placing the proper ideal generated by $a-\lambda 1$ in a maximal ideal. We have provedThe character space ${\Phi }_A$ is a weak-star closed subset of the dual unit ball, characterized by $\phi (1)=1$ and $\phi (ab)=\phi (a)\phi (b)$. The Banach-Alaoglu theorem makes it compact Hausdorff. Define the Gelfand transform by $\hat{a}(\phi )=\phi (a)$. For Hermitian $h$, its values are real; writing $a=h+ik$ with both terms Hermitian shows $\widehat{a^{\ast }}=\overline{\hat{a}}$. In the commutative algebra every element is normal, soThe transform is therefore an isometric unital star-homomorphism and has closed range in $C({\Phi }_A)$. Its range separates characters by their definition and is closed under complex conjugation. The complex Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes that range dense, hence equal to $C({\Phi }_A)$. This proves the Commutative Gelfand--Naimark theorem:For a nonunital C-star algebra, its C-star unitization can be constructed without assuming an operator representation on a Hilbert space. Represent $A$ by left multiplication on itself, which is isometric because testing $L_a$ on $a^{\ast }/\Vert a\Vert$ gives $\Vert L_a\Vert =\Vert a\Vert$. Adjoin the identity operator and set $\Vert z\Vert =\Vert L_z\Vert$. For $z=a+\lambda 1$ and $b\in A$, the C-star identity in $A$ gives $\Vert zb{\Vert }^2=\Vert b^{\ast }{z}^{\ast }zb\Vert \le \Vert b\Vert \Vert L_{z^{\ast }z}b\Vert$. Consequently $\Vert L_z{\Vert }^2\le \Vert L_{z^{\ast }z}\Vert \le \Vert L_{z^{\ast }}\Vert \Vert L_z\Vert$. Applying this also to $z^{\ast }$ proves that the new involution is isometric and that its C-star identity holds. The extension by the identity is complete, since the isometric image of $A$ is closed and one adjoins just one dimension. Apply the unital result to a commutative $A^{+}$; the character $\infty$ given by $a+\lambda 1\mapsto \lambda$ has kernel $A$. Under the isomorphism, this kernel consists of the continuous functions vanishing at $\infty$. Thus $A\cong C_0({\Phi }_A)$ in the nonunital case, with locally compact character space ${\Phi }_A={\Phi }_{A^{+}}\setminus \{\infty \}$.

For a Hermitian $h$ in a possibly noncommutative algebra, apply this result to the commutative unital C-star subalgebra $C^{\ast }(1,h)$ in the unitization. Its Banach algebra spectrum at $h$ equals the ambient Banach algebra spectrum: both Banach algebra spectra are real, the complement of the ambient compact real Banach algebra spectrum is connected, and the resolvent-component result of Question 1 retains that whole complement in the smaller algebra. Characters of this subalgebra are determined by their values at $h$, so its character space is homeomorphic to $\sigma (h)$. We obtain the continuous functional calculus $C(\sigma (h))\to C^{\ast }(1,h)$.

Interpret ${\mathbb{R}}^{+}$ here as $[0,\infty )$. If $\sigma (h)\subseteq [0,\infty )$, apply this calculus to $t\mapsto \sqrt{t}$, obtaining a Hermitian $k$ with $k^2=h$. In a nonunital algebra this element remains in $A$ because the defining scalar function vanishes at zero. Conversely, if $h=k^2$ with $k=k^{\ast }$, spectral mapping theorem and the real Banach algebra spectrum of $k$ give $\sigma (h)=\{t^2:t\in \sigma (k)\}\subseteq [0,\infty )$. Hence nonnegative Banach algebra spectrum is equivalent to being the square of a Hermitian algebra element. A strict-positive interpretation would exclude $h=0$, and would not be equivalent to the assertion about an arbitrary Hermitian square.

Finally, use the two continuous real functions $t\mapsto \sqrt{\max (t,0)}$ and $t\mapsto \sqrt{\max (-t,0)}$ on $\sigma (x)$. Their calculus values $u,v$ are Hermitian, belong to $A$ also in the nonunital case, and satisfy

Let $G$ be locally compact, Abelian and Hausdorff, and fix a Haar measure. Write $T_{x}f(y)=f(x^{-1}y)$ and use convolutionThe L1 group algebra is a commutative Banach algebra. Here a group character means a continuous homomorphism $\chi :G\to \mathbb{T}$, not the trace of an arbitrary group representation. A Gelfand character is a nonzero multiplicative complex-linear functional on the convolution algebra. We use the conventionWith the alternative standard Fourier convention involving $\overline{\chi }$, one simply conjugates every group character in this identification.

For such $\chi$, the functional is bounded by $\Vert f{\Vert }_1$, and Fubini's theorem, the substitution $y=xz$, and the homomorphism law giveIt is nonzero: if $u\ge 0$ is nonzero in $C_c(G)$, then $f=\overline{\chi }u$ has ${\Phi }_{\chi }(f)=\int u>0$.

Conversely let $\Phi$ be an algebra character. It is automatically bounded, with $|\Phi (f)|\le \Vert f{\Vert }_1$. Indeed, extend it to the unitization by $\tilde{\Phi }(f+\lambda 1)=\Phi (f)+\lambda$. If $|\Phi (f)|>\Vert f{\Vert }_1$, the Neumann series makes $f-\Phi (f)1$ invertible, whereas its character value is zero, contradicting multiplicativity of an invertible element and its inverse.

Choose $g$ with $\Phi (g)\ne 0$ and put $\chi (x)=\Phi (T_{x}g)/\Phi (g)$. Commutativity of the group gives $(T_{x}f)\ast g=f\ast (T_{x}g)$; applying $\Phi$ yieldsThus the ratio is independent of the chosen $g$. Applying the relation successively to $T_x{T}_{y}g=T_{xy}g$ gives $\chi (xy)=\chi (x)\chi (y)$, and $\chi (e)=1$. In particular it never vanishes.

The translation map $x\mapsto T_{x}g$ is continuous in $L^1$. For $g\in C_c(G)$, translated supports near a fixed $x$ lie in one compact set; continuity on that set and a finite cover give uniform convergence of the translated values, hence $L^1$ convergence because the compact set has finite Haar measure. For general $g$, approximate by $C_c(G)$ and use $\Vert T_{x}g{\Vert }_1=\Vert g{\Vert }_1$. Therefore $\chi$ is continuous. For all integers $n$,Positive powers exclude modulus greater than one; negative powers exclude modulus less than one. Hence $|\chi (x)|=1$.

Finally, the $L^1$-valued convolution formula $f\ast g=\int f(x)T_{x}gdx$ and boundedness of $\Phi$ giveCancel $\Phi (g)$ to obtain the displayed formula for every $f$. Different characters give different functionals: if their continuous difference is nonzero at a point, integration against a suitably phased compactly supported test function in a small neighbourhood detects that difference. Thus the correspondence is bijective.

It also identifies the character space of an Abelian L1 group algebra topologically with the Pontryagin dual group. For a net converging uniformly on compact subsets in $\hat{G}$, convergence of the functionals follows first for compactly supported $f$, then for all $L^1$ functions using the common norm bound one. Conversely suppose the functionals converge in the Gelfand topology. Choose $g$ whose limiting character value is nonzero; its values are eventually bounded away from zero. For compact $K\subset G$, the set $\{T_{x}g:x\in K\}$ is compact in $L^1$. Convergence of uniformly bounded linear functionals is uniform on this compact set: a finite norm-net reduces it to convergence at finitely many functions, with the common bound controlling the approximation error. The ratio formula then gives uniform convergence of the group characters on $K$. This proves equality with the compact-open topology, without assuming first countability of $G$.

For later use, these transforms form a self-adjoint subalgebra dense in $C_0(\hat{G})$. The set of algebra characters together with the zero functional is weak-star compact by Banach-Alaoglu theorem and the closed multiplicativity equations. Removing zero gives a locally compact Hausdorff character space; each evaluation $\Phi \mapsto \Phi (f)$ vanishes at infinity, since its modulus-at-least-$ϵ$ set is compact and avoids zero. Transforms separate characters, and none vanishes identically at a given character. They are closed under conjugation because $f^{\ast }(x)=\overline{f(x^{-1})}$ satisfies ${\Phi }_{\chi }(f^{\ast })=\overline{{\Phi }_{\chi }(f)}$. The locally compact Stone-Weierstrass theorem therefore gives the claimed density.

A C-star algebra is a complex Banach algebra with an antilinear algebra involution satisfying $(ab{)}^{\ast }=b^{\ast }{a}^{\ast }$, $(a^{\ast }{)}^{\ast }=a$ and the C-star identity $\Vert a^{\ast }a\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^2$. First take a nonzero unital algebra. Its identity has norm one, since $\Vert 1{\Vert }^2=\Vert 1\Vert$. Alsoand exchanging $a,a^{\ast }$ proves $\Vert a^{\ast }\Vert =\Vert a\Vert$. Thus the algebra involution is continuous. An element $h=h^{\ast }$ is a Hermitian C-star element, and an element satisfying $x{x}^{\ast }=x^{\ast }x$ is a normal C-star element.

We establish the spectral facts needed for the representation, to avoid assuming the conclusion. For a Hermitian C-star element $h$, the Banach algebra exponential $u_t=e^{ith}$ is unitary: taking adjoints of its absolutely convergent series gives $u_t^{\ast }=e^{-ith}$, and multiplication gives $u_t{u}_t^{\ast }=1$. Hence $\Vert u_t\Vert =1$. If $\lambda \in \sigma (h)$, then $e^{it\lambda }\in \sigma (u_t)$. Indeed, the entire factorizationcan be evaluated by its convergent power series at $h$. If the resulting product were invertible, its commuting factors would make $h-\lambda 1$ invertible, a contradiction. The spectral bound therefore gives $|e^{it\lambda }|\le 1$ for every real $t$. Both signs of $t$ force $\mathrm{Im}\lambda =0$. Thus Hermitian elements have real spectrum.

For completeness, the spectral radius formula needed below follows from the same resolvent theory. Submultiplicativity givesFor the existence of the limit, write $n=qj+r$ with $0\le r<j$ and bound $\Vert a^n\Vert \le \Vert a^j{\Vert }^q\Vert a^r\Vert$; this bounds the upper limit by every $j$th root, while the infimum bounds the lower limit. If a power vanishes, the conclusion follows directly. For $|\lambda |>\gamma$, the resolvent series converges by the root test, so $r(a)\le \gamma$. Conversely, for any $R>r(a)$, contour integration of the resolvent givesAt a larger circle this follows by termwise integration of the Neumann series; deformation to radius $R$ is justified by norm analyticity and scalar Cauchy theory as in Question 4. Therefore $\Vert a^n\Vert \le R^{n+1}{\sup }_{|\lambda |=R}\Vert R_a(\lambda )\Vert$, so $\gamma \le R$. Letting $R\downarrow r(a)$ proves $r(a)=\gamma$.

For a normal C-star element $a$, its adjoint commutes with it. The C-star identity giveswhere the middle norm equality uses the identity for the Hermitian element $a^{\ast }a$. Every power is again normal, so $\Vert a^{2^j}\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^{2^j}$. The spectral-radius formula yieldsThis derives the spectral radius norm equality for normal elements from the axioms.

Now let $A$ be commutative and unital. Its character space of an algebra $\Delta (A)$ is compact Hausdorff in the weak-star topology. Every algebra character has norm at most one by the argument in Question 4, and this space is the weak-star closed subset of the dual unit ball defined by $\varphi (1)=1$ and $\varphi (ab)=\varphi (a)\varphi (b)$. Compactness follows from the Banach-Alaoglu theorem; weak-star separation makes it Hausdorff.

We also need the full character-spectrum correspondence, not just one inclusion. Every proper ideal is contained in a maximal ideal. Such a maximal ideal $M$ is closed: if its closure contained one, it would contain an element within norm distance less than one of the identity, which is invertible by the Neumann series, contradicting properness. Its closure is therefore proper and maximality gives equality. The quotient $A/M$ is a complex Banach division algebra. By nonemptiness of its spectrum, every quotient element $b$ has some $\lambda$ for which $b-\lambda 1$ is noninvertible; in a division algebra this means $b=\lambda 1$. Thus the quotient is the scalars, proving the needed Gelfand-Mazur theorem conclusion directly and producing a algebra character with kernel $M$.

If $a-\lambda 1$ is noninvertible, the ideal it generates is proper, since commutativity would otherwise supply its inverse. A containing maximal ideal therefore supplies a algebra character with $\varphi (a)=\lambda$. The converse inclusion was already proved. HenceThe Gelfand transform $a\mapsto \hat{a}$, $\hat{a}(\varphi )=\varphi (a)$, is a unital algebra homomorphism into $C(\Delta (A))$. If $h=h^{\ast }$, the reality of its spectrum makes $\varphi (h)$ real. Writing $a=h+ik$ with Hermitian C-star elements $h,k$ gives $\varphi (a^{\ast })=\overline{\varphi (a)}$. Thus the transform respects the algebra involution. Every element of a commutative C-star algebra is normal, and thereforeIt is a linear isometry, hence injective and with closed image because $A$ is complete. The image contains constants, separates algebra characters by their definition, and is closed under complex conjugation. The complex Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes that image dense in $C(\Delta (A))$, and closedness makes it all of that space. We have proved the Commutative Gelfand--Naimark theorem:These steps show exactly how completeness, the algebra involution and the C-star norm identity enter the theorem. A general Banach algebra need not have an injective or norm-preserving Gelfand transform.

The general commutative theorem also has a nonunital form. Here is an elementary construction of the necessary C-star unitization, without assuming the representation theorem. Left multiplication $L_a$ on $A$ is isometric in operator norm: the upper bound is submultiplicativity, and testing on $a^{\ast }/\Vert a\Vert$ proves the reverse bound for nonzero $a$. If $A$ is nonunital, adjoin the identity operator to the closed algebra $L(A)$ inside the bounded operators on the Banach space $A$. The sum $L(A)+\mathbb{C}I$ is closed, since it is a finite-dimensional extension of a closed subspace, and $I\notin L(A)$. A left identity in a C-star algebra would, by taking adjoints, give a right identity; the two coincide, so $I\in L(A)$ would contradict nonunitality.

For the formal element $z=a+\lambda 1$, define its algebra involution by $z^{\ast }=a^{\ast }+\overline{\lambda }1$ and norm by $\Vert L_z\Vert$. For every $b\in A$,Taking suprema over the unit ball and using submultiplicativity gives $\Vert L_z{\Vert }^2\le \Vert L_{z^{\ast }z}\Vert \le \Vert L_{z^{\ast }}\Vert \Vert L_z\Vert$. Apply the same inequalities to $z^{\ast }$ to obtain $\Vert L_z\Vert =\Vert L_{z^{\ast }}\Vert$ and then the C-star identity. This is the C-star unitization by left multiplication. The original algebra is a closed ideal in it.

For commutative nonunital $A$, apply the proved unital theorem to $\tilde{A}$. The scalar quotient algebra character $\epsilon (a+\lambda 1)=\lambda$ identifies $A=\ker \epsilon$ with the continuous functions on $\Delta (\tilde{A})$ that vanish at $\epsilon$. Removing this one algebra character gives a locally compact Hausdorff space; those functions are exactly its continuous functions vanishing at infinity. Restriction and extension of nonzero algebra characters identify this space with $\Delta (A)$: a algebra character extends uniquely by $\tilde{\varphi }(a+\lambda 1)=\varphi (a)+\lambda$, and every algebra character other than $\epsilon$ restricts nontrivially. Thus the full nonunital conclusion is $A\cong C_0(\Delta (A))$.

Return to a normal C-star element $x$ in a unital C-star algebra, possibly noncommutative. Let $B=C^{\ast }(1,x)$, the closed unital star algebra generated by $x$ and $x^{\ast }$. It is commutative because the two generators commute. We first prove the spectral permanence for C-star algebras needed to use the ambient spectrum rather than a potentially larger subalgebra spectrum.

If $h=h^{\ast }\in B$, both its ambient and subalgebra spectra are real. The complement of the compact real set ${\sigma }_A(h)$ is connected. Within this complement, the set of $\lambda$ for which $(\lambda 1-h{)}^{-1}\in B$ is nonempty by the large-parameter Neumann series; it is open by a local inverse series in $B$ and closed by continuous inversion in $A$ and closedness of $B$. It is therefore the entire complement, proving ${\sigma }_B(h)={\sigma }_A(h)$. If a general $b\in B$ is invertible in $A$, then $b^{\ast }b$ and $b{b}^{\ast }$ are invertible Hermitian elements, whose inverses lie in $B$. The elements $(b^{\ast }b{)}^{-1}{b}^{\ast }$ and $b^{\ast }(b{b}^{\ast }{)}^{-1}$ give a left and a right inverse for $b$ inside $B$, and these inverses coincide. Applying this to every $b-\lambda 1$ proves ${\sigma }_B(b)={\sigma }_A(b)$ for all $b\in B$.

By the proved commutative theorem, $B\cong C(\Delta (B))$. The mapis onto by the character-spectrum correspondence and spectral permanence. It is injective because algebra characters respect adjoints and are determined by their values on the star polynomials in one normal element, which are dense in $B$. It is a continuous bijection from a compact space to a Hausdorff space, hence a homeomorphism. Consequently the inverse Gelfand transform, under this identification, suppliesIt is a continuous unital star homomorphism and a linear isometry. Its image is exactly $B$. If another such map sends $Z$ to $x$, it sends $\overline{Z}$ to $x^{\ast }$ and agrees on every polynomial in $Z,\overline{Z}$. These functions contain constants, separate points of the compact spectrum and are closed under conjugation; Stone-Weierstrass gives their uniform density. Continuity proves uniqueness on all of $C({\sigma }_A(x))$. This is the requested continuous functional calculus, including its isometry and image assertion.

Two conventions in the printed statement need to be made explicit. A unital map into $A$ requires $A$ to have an identity. If nonunital C-star algebras are allowed, for example $A=C_0(\mathbb{R})$, the asserted unital map into $A$ does not exist in general; the unital construction instead has target $\tilde{A}$. Also the image above is the closed unital star algebra $C^{\ast }(1,x)$, not necessarily the smallest nonunital algebra generated by $x,x^{\ast }$. For $x=0$ in $A=\mathbb{C}$, the former is $\mathbb{C}1$ and the latter is $\{0\}$. Thus the intended assertion is correct if “generated” includes the identity; without that convention, this is a counterexample. The distinction is the unital versus nonunital generation by a normal element.

For a nonunital $A$, take $\sigma (x)$ in $\tilde{A}$ and construct the unital calculus there. The scalar quotient algebra character sends $x$ to zero, so it sends $f(x)$ to $f(0)$. Functions with $f(0)=0$ therefore give elements of $A$. They are isometrically identified with $C_0(\sigma (x)\setminus \{0\})$ by restriction and zero extension. Approximating them by star polynomials and subtracting the constant value at zero proves that their image is exactly $C^{\ast }(x)$, with no identity adjoined. This proves the nonunital continuous functional calculus as well as specifying the corrected form of the original claim.

We finish with the positive-square-root theorem, giving a proof that even allows $x$ to be nonnormal. Define a positive element spectrally as a Hermitian element with spectrum in $[0,\infty )$. The calculus of a Hermitian element shows its square is positive. Positivity is closed under sums: for positive $p,q$, let $s=\Vert p\Vert +\Vert q\Vert$. The calculus gives $\Vert \Vert p\Vert 1-p\Vert \le \Vert p\Vert$ and the analogous bound for $q$, hence $\Vert s1-p-q\Vert \le s$. Since $p+q$ has real spectrum, the spectral norm bound forces it into $[0,2s]$. The cone is proper: an element positive and negative has spectrum in $\{0\}$ and therefore norm zero.

To establish positivity of an arbitrary adjoint product, put $b=x^{\ast }x=b^{\ast }$. Let $n=\max (-b,0)$ by the continuous calculus of $b$, and let $d=x{n}^{1/2}$, where the square root of the already positive $n$ is supplied by that same scalar calculus. Multiplicativity givesThus $d^{\ast }d$ has nonpositive spectrum. The nonzero spectra of $d^{\ast }d$ and $d{d}^{\ast }$ agree: for general products $uv,vu$ and $\lambda \ne 0$, direct multiplication verifieswhenever the inverse on the right exists, and the converse follows on exchanging $u,v$. Hence $d{d}^{\ast }$ is also nonpositive. Write $d=u+iv$ with Hermitian C-star elements $u,v$. Thenis positive, as a sum of Hermitian squares, and nonpositive, as a sum of the two nonpositive elements. Properness makes it zero. Therefore $d^{\ast }d=-d{d}^{\ast }$ is both positive and nonpositive, hence zero. The C-star identity gives $d=0$, and $n^2=0$ then implies $n=0$. Thus $b=x^{\ast }x$ is positive. This proof does not use positivity of adjoint products in establishing an earlier step.

Apply the continuous calculus of $b$ to $t\mapsto \sqrt{t}$ on its nonnegative compact spectrum. It gives a positive Hermitian C-star elementFor the originally normal $x$, the equivalent direct formula is $h={\theta }_x(z\mapsto |z|)$. In a nonunital algebra, the unitized construction still lands in $A$, because the square-root function is zero at zero.

For uniqueness, suppose $h^{\prime }=h^{\prime \ast }$ has nonnegative spectrum and $(h^{\prime }{)}^2=b$. It commutes with $b$, and hence with $h$, which is a norm limit of polynomials in $b$. The unital C-star algebra generated by $h,h^{\prime }$ is therefore commutative. Its Gelfand transform, together with spectral permanence, gives two nonnegative continuous functions whose squares are equal. Pointwise uniqueness of the nonnegative real square root makes the functions equal, and injectivity of the transform gives $h=h^{\prime }$. This proves the positive square root in a C-star algebra in full, without an unwarranted cancellation by $h+h^{\prime }$ when zero lies in its spectrum. In the notation ${\mathbb{R}}^{+}$, zero must be included here: a noninvertible $x$, in particular $x=0$, need not have a strictly positive square root.

Interpret $\theta$ as a continuous finite-dimensional complex group representation, so its values lie in ${\mathrm{GL}}_{\mathbb{C}}(V)$, and interpret approximation in the uniform norm. Assume the usual Hausdorff convention for the compact topological group. The following argument proves the required form of the Peter-Weyl theorem without first assuming that $G$ is a Lie group.

Start with normalized Haar measure. It is both left- and right-invariant on a compact group. Average any Hermitian inner product to make a finite-dimensional representation unitary. The left regular action $L_{a}h(x)=h(a^{-1}x)$ is already unitary on $L^2(G)$.

Choose a continuous nonnegative function $k$ supported in a small symmetric identity neighbourhood, with $k(z^{-1})=k(z)$ and $\int k=1$. Such functions are obtained from a nonzero continuous bump near the identity, symmetrizing and normalizing. DefineThe convolution operator $T_k$ commutes with left translations. Its continuous kernel is Hermitian, hence it is self-adjoint. It is compact on $L^2(G)$: approximate the continuous kernel uniformly by finite sums of separated functions of $x$ and $y$, using the Stone-Weierstrass theorem on the compact product. The corresponding operators have finite rank and converge in operator norm. It also maps into $C(G)$ and satisfiesby the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality; continuity follows from the uniform continuity of the translated kernel.

The spectral theorem for compact self-adjoint operators decomposes the orthogonal complement of its kernel into finite-dimensional eigenspaces with nonzero eigenvalues. Every such eigenspace is left-translation invariant, and all its elements are continuous, since $h=T_{k}h/\lambda$ there. If $W\subset C(G)$ is one of these invariant spaces, write $\rho (a)=L_a{|}_W$. Evaluation at the identity givesThus $h$ is a matrix coefficient of the dual representation. This identifies each finite spectral sum with finite-dimensional representation data.

To get uniform rather than just $L^2$ approximation, let $S_N$ project onto increasing finite sums of the nonzero eigenspaces. For $f\in C(G)$, $T_{k}f$ is orthogonal to the kernel, so $S_N{T}_{k}f\to T_{k}f$ in $L^2$. Applying the displayed smoothing bound givesMeanwhile, choosing the support of $k$ sufficiently small makes $T_{k}f$ uniformly close to $f$, by uniform continuity under small translations. Since $\Vert T_k{\Vert }_{C\to C}\le 1$, it also makes $T_k^{2}f$ uniformly close to $f$. Every $T_k{S}_N{T}_{k}f$ belongs to a finite sum of invariant eigenspaces, hence is a finite sum of matrix coefficients. This completes the convolution proof of uniform Peter-Weyl approximation.