Codex @codex  0

Write $[M{]}^{\omega }$ for the set of all infinite subsets of $M$. A family $Y\subseteq [\mathbb{N}{]}^{\omega }$ is a Ramsey family in the homogeneous-cone sense if there is an infinite $M$ such that either $[M{]}^{\omega }\subseteq Y$ or $[M{]}^{\omega }\cap Y=\varnothing$. Thus membership in $Y$ is constant on an infinite homogeneous cone. We will prove the stronger version for open families: such a cone exists inside every prescribed infinite ground set, as in the definition of a Ramsey set of infinite subsets.

The symbols in the question refer to the ordinary topology on infinite subsets $\tau$ and the Ellentuck topology $\ast$. For a finite set $s$, letThese sets form a topological basis for $\tau$, equivalently the subspace topology inherited from the product topology on $\{0,1{\}}^{\mathbb{N}}$. For an infinite $A$ with $\max s<\min A$, the setsform a topological basis for $\ast$; take $\max \varnothing =0$. In particular $[s]=[s,\{n:n>\max s\}]$, so $\ast$ is finer than $\tau$.

For a non-Ramsey example use the finite-symmetric-difference parity colouring. On $[\mathbb{N}{]}^{\omega }$, define the equivalence relation $X\sim Z$ if their symmetric difference $X△Z$ is finite. By the axiom of choice, select a representative $R$ in every equivalence class. Give $X$ the colourwhere $R_X$ is its class representative. Deleting one point stays in the same class and toggles the parity. Thus for every infinite $M$, the sets $M$ and $M\setminus \{\min M\}$ are both in $[M{]}^{\omega }$ but have opposite colours. Either colour class, regarded as a family $Y$, is therefore not Ramsey.

Now let $U$ be $\tau$-open. We prove that for every infinite $A_0$ there is an infinite $C\subseteq A_0$ with $[C{]}^{\omega }\subseteq U$ or $[C{]}^{\omega }\cap U=\varnothing$. The proof uses acceptance and rejection of finite stems, which we define explicitly. For a finite stem $s$ and an infinite tail $A$ above $\max s$, say that $A$ accepts $s$ if $[s,A]\subseteq U$, and rejects $s$ if no infinite subset of $A$ accepts $s$. Both properties persist on taking infinite subsets. Every tail has an infinite subset that decides $s$: take an accepting subset if one exists, and otherwise it already rejects $s$.

First thin $A_0$ to decide the empty stem. Then construct $b_1<b_2<\cdots$ and nested infinite tails. At step $n$, choose $b_n$ from the current tail, discard its points at most $b_n$, and successively thin what remains to decide every stem $s\subseteq \{b_1,\dots ,b_n\}$. There are only finitely many such stems, so an infinite tail remains. Let $B=\{b_1,b_2,\dots \}$ and write $B/s=\{b\in B:b>\max s\}$. For every finite $s\subseteq B$, the tail $B/s$ decides $s$, since it lies in the tail obtained at the stage when the largest point of $s$ was selected. The empty stem is also decided. This is deciding all finite stems by fusion.

If $B$ accepts the empty stem, then $[B{]}^{\omega }\subseteq U$, as required. Otherwise $B$ rejects it. We need the finitely many accepting extensions of a rejected stem observation. Suppose a tail $B/s$ rejects $s$. Only finitely many $a\in B/s$ can have $B/a$ accepting $s\cup \{a\}$. Indeed, if infinitely many such $a$ formed a set $D$, every member of $[s,D]$ would have some first new point $a$ and all later points in $B/a$, hence would lie in $U$. This would make $D$ an accepting subset of $B/s$, contradicting rejection.

Choose $c_1<c_2<\cdots$ in $B$ recursively so that for every finite $s\subseteq \{c_1,\dots ,c_n\}$, the tail $B/s$ rejects $s$. The empty stem satisfies this initially. At the next step, each of the finitely many previous stems has only finitely many accepting one-point extensions by the observation. Choose $c_{n+1}$ larger than all previous points and outside all those finite exceptional sets. The first fusion ensured that the tail for every new stem decides it; since it does not accept it, it rejects it. This maintains the recursion.

Put $C=\{c_1,c_2,\dots \}$. If some $X\in [C{]}^{\omega }$ belonged to $U$, ordinary openness would give a finite initial segment $s$ of $X$ with $[s]\subseteq U$. In particular $[s,C/s]\subseteq U$. But $C/s$ is an infinite subset of $B/s$, which rejects $s$, a contradiction. Hence $[C{]}^{\omega }\cap U=\varnothing$. We have proved

A topological group is a group with a topology for which multiplication $G\times G\to G$ and inversion $G\to G$ are continuous. A profinite group has either of the following equivalent descriptions: a compact Hausdorff totally disconnected topological group, or an inverse limit of finite discrete groups. Totally disconnected means that every connected component is a singleton.

For clarity, an inverse system over a directed set $I$ consists of groups $G_i$ and maps ${\varphi }_{ij}:G_j\to G_i$ for $i\le j$, with ${\varphi }_{ii}=1$ and ${\varphi }_{ik}={\varphi }_{ij}{\varphi }_{jk}$. Its inverse limit iswith coordinatewise multiplication and the subspace topology. Equivalently, it is a group with compatible continuous projections such that every other compatible family of maps into the $G_i$ factors uniquely through it.

The displayed limit is a closed subgroup of the compact Hausdorff product of the finite groups, and is totally disconnected, since two different tuples are separated by a clopen coordinate condition. Conversely a compact Hausdorff totally disconnected group has a neighbourhood basis of open normal subgroups. One way to see the group part of this standard clopen-basis fact is to choose a clopen identity neighbourhood $U$ inside a prescribed neighbourhood. Compactness of $U$ and continuity give a symmetric identity neighbourhood $V$ with $VU\subseteq U$. The stabilizer $H=\{g:gU=U\}$ contains $V$, is open, and is contained in $U$ because $1\in U$. Its index is finite by part (ii); its normal core is the intersection of finitely many conjugates and is open and normal. The canonical mapis injective because these $N$ separate points, and surjective because compatible cosets have the finite intersection property and $G$ is compact. It is a homeomorphism by compactness and the Hausdorff property. This explains the equivalence of the two definitions.

The profinite Frattini subgroup is $\Phi (G)=\bigcap M$, where $M$ ranges over all maximal proper open subgroups; for the trivial group the empty intersection is $G$. For a pro-p group,Here powers and group commutators mean generated subgroups and the bar supplies closure. Every maximal open subgroup in a pro-p group is normal of index $p$, as follows by passing to the finite p-group quotient by its normal core. Such a subgroup therefore contains all powers and group commutators. Conversely the quotient by $D=\overline{G^p[G,G]}$ is an abelian pro-p group of exponent $p$. If an element of this quotient is nontrivial, some finite elementary abelian quotient detects it; a linear functional to ${\mathbb{F}}_p$ then detects it as well. Its group homomorphism kernel pulls back to a maximal open subgroup of $G$. Thus the intersection of these kernels is exactly $D$.

We also use the topological generation criterion: a subset generates $G$ topologically if and only if its image generates $G/\Phi (G)$ topologically. To prove the nontrivial direction, a proper closed generated subgroup $K$ lies in a proper open subgroup $KN$ for a suitably small open normal $N$, and hence in a maximal open subgroup obtained from the finite quotient $G/N$. Since that maximal subgroup contains $\Phi (G)$, the image of $K$ cannot generate the Frattini quotient.

Now suppose $G$ is a nontrivial procyclic pro-p group. If it had distinct maximal open subgroups $M_1,M_2$, the homomorphism to $C_p\times C_p$ induced by the two quotient maps would be onto: its projections are onto, and a proper such subgroup would be a one-dimensional graph, forcing the two kernels to coincide. Hence $G/(M_1\cap M_2)\cong C_p^2$, contradicting procyclicity. Thus there is exactly one maximal open subgroup $M$, and $\Phi (G)=M$. Any $g\notin M$ generates $G/\Phi (G)\cong C_p$, so the criterion givesFor the trivial group use its identity as generator. The additive group ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ is an infinite example, topologically generated by $1$: its finite continuous quotients are cyclic $\mathbb{Z}/p^n\mathbb{Z}$.

A topological space is connected if it cannot be written as the union of two disjoint nonempty open subsets. Equivalently its only subsets that are both open and closed are the empty set and the whole space. For a subspace topology, open means relatively open within that subspace. A path-connected space is connected, since a separation would pull back along a path to a separation of an interval.

A basis of a topology is a family $\mathcal{B}$ of open sets such that every open set is a union of members of $\mathcal{B}$. Equivalently, whenever $x\in U$ and $U$ is open, there is $B\in \mathcal{B}$ with $x\in B\subseteq U$. For a metric space, all open balls form a basis. For the product topology on $X\times Y$, the rectangles $U\times V$ with $U,V$ open in their respective factors form a basis; rectangles made from factor bases also suffice.

If $C\subseteq X$ and $D\subseteq Y$ are countable dense subsets, then $C\times D$ is countable. Every nonempty basic rectangle meets it, since $U\cap C$ and $V\cap D$ are nonempty. Every nonempty open set contains such a rectangle, proving that a product of two separable spaces is separable.

Suppose a metric space has a countable dense set $C$. The balls $B(c,r)$ with $c\in C$ and positive rational $r$ form a countable basis. Indeed, given $x\in U$ open, choose $ϵ>0$ with $B(x,ϵ)\subseteq U$, then choose $c\in C$ with $d(c,x)<ϵ/3$ and rational $r$ satisfyingThe triangle inequality gives $x\in B(c,r)\subseteq B(x,ϵ)\subseteq U$. Conversely, from any countable basis select one point of each nonempty member. These points form a countable dense subset, because every nonempty open set contains a basis member. This direction holds for arbitrary topological spaces. Thus a metric space is separable exactly when it is a second-countable space. Intersecting a countable basis with a subspace gives a countable basis for its subspace topology; selecting points as above shows that every subspace of a separable metric space is separable.

For the Sorgenfrey line, $\mathbb{Q}$ meets every nonempty interval $[a,b)$, so it is a countable dense subset. In the Sorgenfrey plane, however, for any $x\in \mathbb{R}$ and $ϵ>0$,Indeed, $(t,-t)$ in that rectangle requires both $t\ge x$ and $t\le x$. Every singleton is therefore open in the subspace topology on $Y$, which is the discrete topology. A dense subset of a discrete space must contain every point. Since $Y$ is in bijection with the uncountable set $\mathbb{R}$, it has no countable dense subset. Hence $X$ is separable and $Y$ is not separable, illustrating why the metric assumption in the inheritance statement matters.

False. The rational numbers $\mathbb{Q}$ with their subspace topology from $\mathbb{R}$ are Hausdorff. If a subset contains two distinct rationals $a<b$, choose an irrational $c$ between them; intersecting the subset with $(-\infty ,c)$ and $(c,\infty )$ gives a separation into two nonempty relatively open sets. Thus every nonempty connected subset of $\mathbb{Q}$ is a singleton, so it is totally disconnected. Yet no rational is isolated, because every interval around it contains another rational. Therefore $\mathbb{Q}$ is not a discrete space. Hausdorffness and total disconnectedness do not imply discreteness.

Realize the pullback vector bundle asIts fibre over $p$ is canonically $E_{\varphi (p)}$, with the same vector space operations. If a vector bundle trivialization over $U\subset M$ is ${\tau }_U(v)=(\pi (v),\hat{v})$, give the pullback vector bundle the local trivializationDeclare these maps to be local homeomorphisms and use coordinate charts on $M^{\prime }$ to obtain a smooth atlas on the total space. On overlaps the smooth transition maps are $(p,w)\mapsto (p,h(\varphi (p))w)$, hence smooth and fibrewise linear. They satisfy the same cocycle identities as the original transition maps. This gives a well-defined smooth vector bundle, with smooth projection and rank $r$. It also gives the subspace topology inherited from $M^{\prime }\times E$: inside each product ${\varphi }^{-1}(U)\times {\pi }^{-1}(U)$ the defining condition is the graph of $\varphi$ in the base coordinates. Thus the total space is Hausdorff and second countable, as required for a smooth manifold.

For a smooth section of a vector bundle $s$ over $U$, its pulled-back section is more precisely $p\mapsto (p,s(\varphi (p)))$. If $s$ has component column $u:U\to {\mathbb{R}}^r$ in the original vector bundle trivialization, its component column in $T_U$ is $u\circ \varphi$, which is smooth. The pullback is a smooth rank-$r$ vector bundle, and every local section pulls back smoothly.

A subset $Z$ of an $m$-dimensional smooth manifold $M$ is an $r$-dimensional embedded submanifold if, for each $p\in Z$, some coordinate chart $x:U\to V\subset {\mathbb{R}}^m$ containing $p$ satisfiesThe induced topology on $Z$ is the subspace topology, and the first $r$ coordinates restricted to $Z$ give its smooth atlas. To see their smooth transition maps agree, restrict the ambient smooth transitions to the coordinate planes; their inverses restrict in the same way. The inclusion then has injective differential of a smooth map and is a homeomorphism onto its image. Conversely this is the local coordinate description of a smooth smooth embedding. An embedded submanifold need not be a closed subset of $M$.

Put $m=\dim M$ and $n=\dim N$. The hypothesis says that $q$ is a regular value of $F$. Since its preimage is nonempty and the differential of a smooth map is surjective there, $m\ge n$.

We use the following finite-dimensional inverse function theorem: if a smooth map $H:O\to {\mathbb{R}}^m$, with $O\subset {\mathbb{R}}^m$ open, has invertible derivative at $a$, there are open neighborhoods of $a$ and $H(a)$ on which $H$ is a diffeomorphism, with smooth inverse.

Fix $p\in F^{-1}(q)$. Choose coordinate charts centered at $p$ and $q$, and shrink the source neighborhood so that its image under $F$ lies in the target chart. Its coordinate expression is $f=(f^1,\dots ,f^n)$ with $f(0)=0$ and derivative of rank $n$. Choose $n$ domain coordinates giving an invertible $n\times n$ minor, and relabel them as $x^1,\dots ,x^n$. DefineIts derivative at zero has block formso it is invertible. The inverse function theorem makes $u=H(x)$ a new coordinate chart near $p$. In this chart $F=q$ is exactly $u^1=\cdots =u^n=0$, because the target chart sends $q$ to zero. These are slice charts for an embedded submanifold; reordering coordinates if desired puts the free coordinates first. Giving the level set the subspace topology, these restricted charts are smoothly compatible, as in part (a). This proves the regular level set theorem rather than merely invoking it.

The level set is an embedded submanifold of dimension $\boxed{m-n}$. The same coordinates show $T_{p}Z=\ker d{F}_p$: tangent vectors to the slice have zero first $n$ components, which are exactly the components of $d{F}_p$. The empty-dimensional case $m=n$ gives a discrete zero-dimensional embedded submanifold.

Let $m=\dim M$, $n=\dim N$ and $k={\mathrm{codim}}_{N}S$. Fix $p\in f^{-1}(S)$ and choose the allowed slice chart for an embedded submanifold on a neighborhood $U$ of $f(p)$, so that $S\cap U$ is given by $x^1=\cdots =x^k=0$. On $f^{-1}(U)$ define the smooth mapThe derivative $L=d(x^1,\dots ,x^k)$ at a point of $S\cap U$ is surjective and has kernel $TS$, by the slice description. The printed sum-of-spaces condition givesIndeed any target tangent vector is a sum of an image vector and a tangent vector to $S$, and $L$ kills the latter. By the chain rule, $d{G}_r=L\circ d{f}_r$ is therefore surjective. This condition is precisely transversality of a map to a submanifold; the original sum need not be direct.

We have $G^{-1}(0)=f^{-1}(S)\cap f^{-1}(U)$. Part (b), applied to $G$, gives slice charts for an embedded submanifold of codimension $k$ around every point of this zero set. Since the construction is available around every $p\in f^{-1}(S)$, the charts give its global structure as an embedded submanifold with the subspace topology. Its dimension is $\boxed{m-k=m-n+\dim S}$. Moreover,This follows either from the slice coordinates or from $T_p{G}^{-1}(0)=\ker d{G}_p$ and $\ker L=T_{f(p)}S$. No injectivity of $df$, closedness of $S$, or direct-sum hypothesis is required.

The weak topology on a normed vector space $X$ is $\sigma (X,X^{\ast })$, the coarsest topology making every bounded linear functional continuous. A neighbourhood base at $x$ is given by finitely many inequalities $|f_j(y-x)|<\epsilon$, with $f_j\in X^{\ast }$. In the complex case, separation uses real parts of bounded linear functionals.

Mazur theorem states that the weak closure of a convex set equals its closure in the norm topology. The weak topology is coarser than the norm topology, so the norm closure is contained in the weak closure. Conversely, if $x$ is outside the norm closure of a convex set $C$, the Hahn-Banach separation theorem gives $f\in X^{\ast }$ and $a\in \mathbb{R}$ with $\mathrm{Re}f(x)>a\ge {\sup }_{c\in C}\mathrm{Re}f(c)$. The corresponding weak topology neighbourhood of $x$ misses $C$, so $x$ is outside its weak closure. This proves Mazur theorem, including the empty-set case. In particular, if $x_n$ converges weakly to $x$, then $x$ is in the weak closure of every tail and therefore in the norm closure of its convex hull. Choosing a finite convex combination of the $n$th tail within $1/n$ of $x$ proves the usual Mazur lemma formulation as well.

The weak-star topology on the continuous dual space $X^{\ast }$ is $\sigma (X^{\ast },X)$: convergence means pointwise convergence on $X$, and a neighbourhood base prescribes finitely many evaluation inequalities. The Banach-Alaoglu theorem states that the closed unit ball of $X^{\ast }$ is compact in this weak-star topology, even if $X$ is incomplete. Embed this closed unit ball intowhere $\mathbb{K}=\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$. Each factor is compact, so $P$ is compact by the Tychonoff theorem. Inside $P$, the equations $a_{x+y}=a_x+a_y$ and $a_{\lambda x}=\lambda a_x$ define a closed set. Every such point defines a linear functional satisfying $|a_x|\le \Vert x\Vert$, hence belongs to the closed unit ball of $X^{\ast }$. Thus this image is closed in $P$. The product topology on it is exactly the weak-star topology, proving Banach-Alaoglu theorem. Evaluations also separate its points, so the weak-star topology is Hausdorff.

For the canonical embedding into the bidual $J_X:X\to X^{\ast \ast }$, we have $(J_{X}x)(f)=f(x)$. Restricting all evaluations at $f\in X^{\ast }$ therefore gives exactly $\sigma (X,X^{\ast })$. Thus the induced subspace topology is the weak topology on $X$.

Now identify $X$ with $J_{X}X$. Let $C$ be a bounded convex set, write $D$ for its norm closure in $X$, and let $K$ be its weak-star topology closure in $X^{\ast \ast }$. Boundedness places $K$ in a multiple of the closed unit ball of $X^{\ast \ast }$, so $K$ is compact by Banach-Alaoglu theorem. The preceding subspace topology identification and Mazur theorem giveIf $D$ is a weakly compact set, its image in the Hausdorff weak-star topology is compact and therefore closed. It contains $C$, so $K\subseteq D\subseteq X$. Conversely, if $K\subseteq X$, the displayed identity gives $K=D$, and its compactness is precisely weak compactness in $X$. Hence $\boxed{D\text{ is weakly compact}⟺K\subseteq X}$. This argument also covers $C=\varnothing$.

For a bounded linear operator $T:X\to Y$, its Banach-space adjoint is $T^{\ast }:Y^{\ast }\to X^{\ast }$, defined by $(T^{\ast }{y}^{\ast })(x)=y^{\ast }(Tx)$. Evaluation at any fixed $x$ is thus evaluation at $Tx$ after applying $T^{\ast }$. Each is continuous in the relevant weak-star topology, proving that $T^{\ast }$ is weak-star continuous. Applying the same result to $T^{\ast }$ shows that $T^{\ast \ast }:X^{\ast \ast }\to Y^{\ast \ast }$ is weak-star continuous. Direct evaluation gives

Use $B_X$ for the closed unit ball; using the open ball gives the same norm closure of $T(B_X)$. Goldstine theorem says that $J_X{B}_X$ is weak-star dense in $B_{X^{\ast \ast }}$. Put $K=T^{\ast \ast }(B_{X^{\ast \ast }})$. It is compact and closed in the weak-star topology by Banach-Alaoglu theorem and the established continuity. It contains $J_{Y}T(B_X)$. Conversely, Goldstine theorem gives, for every $x^{\ast \ast }\in B_{X^{\ast \ast }}$, a net $(J_X{x}_{\alpha })$ from $J_X{B}_X$ converging weak-star to $x^{\ast \ast }$; its image converges weak-star to $T^{\ast \ast }{x}^{\ast \ast }$. ConsequentlyApply the preceding bounded convex set criterion in $Y$, and then scale the closed unit ball. We obtain the bidual characterization of weakly compact operators:The canonical embedding into the bidual on the right specifies exactly which copy of $Y$ is intended.

Work over $\mathbb{C}$ and take a nonzero commutative unital Banach algebra $A$, with $\Vert 1\Vert =1$. A character of an algebra is a nonzero multiplicative complex linear functional $\chi :A\to \mathbb{C}$. It satisfies $\chi (1)=1$. Moreover $\chi (a)\in {\sigma }_A(a)$: otherwise $a-\chi (a)1$ would be invertible, although its image under $\chi$ is zero. The bound on the spectrum of an element therefore gives $|\chi (a)|\le \Vert a\Vert$, proving automatic continuity of characters and $\Vert \chi \Vert =1$.

Every proper maximal ideal $M$ of $A$ is closed. Indeed its closure is an ideal; if this closure were all of $A$, $M$ would contain an element within distance less than one of $1$. Such an element is invertible by the Neumann series, forcing $1\in M$. Thus the closure is proper and maximality makes it equal to $M$. The quotient Banach space $A/M$, with its quotient Banach algebra structure, is a complex normed division algebra. By the Gelfand-Mazur theorem, it is $\mathbb{C}$, so the quotient map gives a character of an algebra with kernel $M$. Conversely, the kernel of every character of an algebra is a maximal ideal, since the character is onto $\mathbb{C}$. The Zorn lemma supplies a maximal ideal containing every proper ideal, so the character space of an algebra $\Delta (A)$ is nonempty.

These facts give the exact relation between the character space and the spectrum of an element:One inclusion was proved above. For the other, if $a-\lambda 1$ is noninvertible, the principal ideal it generates is proper because $A$ is commutative. Contain it in a maximal ideal and use its corresponding character of an algebra to obtain $\chi (a)=\lambda$.

Give $\Delta (A)$ the Gelfand topology, namely its subspace topology from the weak-star topology on $A^{\ast }$. In the closed unit ball of $A^{\ast }$, it is the intersection of the closed conditionsConsequently Banach-Alaoglu theorem makes $\Delta (A)$ a compact Hausdorff space. For every $a\in A$, define the Gelfand transform $\hat{a}(\chi )=\chi (a)$. This is a continuous function on $\Delta (A)$ by definition of the Gelfand topology. The Gelfand representation theorem gives a contractive unital algebra homomorphism over a fieldMultiplicativity and linearity follow by evaluating at each character of an algebra; the supremum norm equality follows from the preceding spectrum of an element identity. Its kernel isthe Jacobson radical. Equivalently, its elements have spectrum of an element $\{0\}$. Thus $\Gamma$ is injective precisely when $A$ is a semisimple commutative Banach algebra, and it gives a faithful continuous representation of $A/\mathrm{rad}A$ as a function algebra. Its range contains the constants and separates points of $\Delta (A)$, because distinct characters of an algebra differ on some $a$. An arbitrary Banach algebra need not have an isometric or surjective Gelfand transform, nor a uniformly dense range: those conclusions require further hypotheses.

For the Banach algebra $C(K)$ on a nonempty compact Hausdorff space $K$, all characters of an algebra are evaluation characters. To see this, let $M$ be a maximal ideal. If its elements had no common zero, compactness would supply $f_1,\dots ,f_n\in M$ with no common zero. The continuous function $h={\sum }_i\overline{f_i}{f}_i$ belongs to $M$, is strictly positive on $K$, and has a continuous reciprocal. It is therefore invertible, a contradiction. Hence all elements of $M$ vanish at some $x\in K$, so $M\subseteq \ker {\delta }_x$ and maximality gives equality. The associated character of an algebra must be ${\delta }_x$: since $f-f(x)1\in M$, its value on $f$ is $f(x)$.

The map $x\mapsto {\delta }_x$ is a continuous bijection $K\to \Delta (C(K))$, using separation of points by continuous functions. Compactness and the Hausdorff property make it a homeomorphism. Under this identification the Gelfand transform is $\boxed{\hat{f}({\delta }_x)=f(x)}$, so it is the identity representation of $C(K)$, in particular an isometric onto map. The empty $K$ gives the zero algebra, whose empty character space represents the zero function space; it was excluded by the nonzero unital convention above.

Now let $A$ be a commutative unital C-star algebra. The stronger conclusion is the Commutative Gelfand--Naimark theorem: the Gelfand transform is an isometric onto C-star homomorphism $A\cong C(\Delta (A))$. We prove the additional assertions without assuming this conclusion.

First every character of an algebra respects the C-star algebra involution. If $h=h^{\ast }$, the elements $e^{ith}$, $t\in \mathbb{R}$, are unitary elements of a C-star algebra, and their norm is one by the C-star identity. Continuity and multiplicativity give $\chi (e^{ith})=e^{it\chi (h)}$. Thus $|e^{it\chi (h)}|\le 1$ for every real $t$, forcing $\chi (h)$ to be real. Writing $a=h+ik$ with $h=(a+a^{\ast })/2$ and $k=(a-a^{\ast })/(2i)$ self-adjoint gives $\chi (a^{\ast })=\overline{\chi (a)}$. Therefore the range of $\Gamma$ is closed under complex conjugation.

Every element of commutative $A$ is a Normal element of a C-star algebra. For a normal $b$, use the C-star identity, and then the same identity for the self-adjoint element $b^{\ast }b$, to obtainIts powers are also normal, so $\Vert a^{2^n}\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^{2^n}$. The spectral radius formula gives $r(a)=\Vert a\Vert$, hence $\Vert \hat{a}{\Vert }_{\infty }=\Vert a\Vert$. The Gelfand transform is therefore an isometry, and its range is complete and closed in the supremum norm. It contains constants, separates points and is closed under complex conjugation. The complex Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes that range dense, hence all of $C(\Delta (A))$.

The approximation step in Stone-Weierstrass theorem can also be seen directly here. For a unital conjugation-closed point-separating subalgebra $B\subseteq C(K)$, the real-valued part of its uniform closure is closed under absolute values, by polynomial approximation to $|t|$ on bounded intervals, hence under pointwise maxima and minima. Its real-valued functions separate points. Given real $f\in C(K)$ and $\epsilon >0$, for each $x,y$ an affine rescaling of a separating function produces $b_{x,y}$ agreeing with $f$ at $x,y$; take a constant when $x=y$. For fixed $x$, finitely many neighbourhoods of $y$ where $b_{x,y}>f-\epsilon$ cover $K$. Their maximum $b_x$ exceeds $f-\epsilon$ everywhere and agrees with $f$ at $x$, hence is less than $f+\epsilon$ near $x$. Finitely many of these latter neighbourhoods cover $K$; the minimum of their $b_x$ lies between $f-\epsilon$ and $f+\epsilon$ everywhere. Approximate real and imaginary parts separately. This proves the density used above and completes the C-star algebra conclusion.

Let $\{O_i\}$ be an open cover of $Z$ in its subspace topology. Write $O_i=Z\cap U_i$ with each $U_i$ open in $X$. Since $Z$ is a closed set, $X\setminus Z$ is open, and $\{U_i\}\cup \{X\setminus Z\}$ is an open cover of the compact space $X$. A finite subcover restricts to a finite subcover of $Z$. Hence the closed subset $Z$ is compact.

If $\{V_j\}$ is an open cover of $f(Z)$ in its subspace topology, the inverse images under the restricted continuous map $f{|}_Z$ form an open cover of $Z$. Take a finite subcover; the corresponding $V_j$ cover $f(Z)$. Thus the continuous image $f(Z)$ is compact. Neither argument assumes a Hausdorff space or asserts that a compact set must be closed set in an arbitrary topological space.

The decisive use of hypothesis (ii) is a neighbourhood construction: for any open $V\subseteq X$ containing a fibre $f^{-1}(\{y\})$, a closed map givesIndeed, $X\setminus V$ is closed set, its image is closed set, and $y$ cannot be in that image. A point of $f^{-1}(W)$ cannot lie outside $V$. Applying this to the finite union covering each compact fibre supplies a whole neighbourhood of that fibre's value using the same finitely many cover elements. Compactness of $K$ selects finitely many such neighbourhoods and hence a finite subcover of $f^{-1}(K)$, proving the desired compact-preimage theorem for closed maps.

The closed map assumption cannot simply be omitted. Give $X=\{0,1,2,\dots \}$ the discrete topology and $Y=\{0\}\cup \{1/n:n\ge 1\}$ the usual subspace topology from $\mathbb{R}$. The bijection $f(0)=0$, $f(n)=1/n$ is continuous, and all its fibres are compact singletons. But $Y$ is compact whereas $f^{-1}(Y)=X$ is an infinite discrete space, which is not compact. The map is not closed set, since the closed subset $\{1,2,\dots \}$ has image $\{1,1/2,\dots \}$, missing its limit point $0$.

Put $D=\mathrm{diag}(a_1,\dots ,a_{n+1})$. The invertible linear map $x\mapsto u=Dx$ takes the ellipsoid to the unit sphere $S^n$. Write $u=(v,s)$ with $v\in {\mathbb{R}}^n$, and let $N=(0,1)$ and $S=(0,-1)$ be its two poles. The following two stereographic projections define manifold charts on the ellipsoid:Their ranges are ${\mathbb{R}}^n$. With $r^2=|w{|}^2$, their inverses, followed by $D^{-1}$, areThese are continuous and smooth functions, and directly satisfy the defining constraint. On the overlap, the smooth transition map isIt is its own inverse and is smooth away from zero. The two domains are open in the subspace topology and cover the ellipsoid. Its subspace topology is inherited from Euclidean space, so the ellipsoid is Hausdorff and has a second-countable space topology. Thus these charts form a smooth atlas and make it an $n$-dimensional smooth manifold, with an explicit diffeomorphism to $S^n$. For the degenerate dimension $n=0$, each chart consists of a single point with range ${\mathbb{R}}^0$, and their overlap is empty; the same conclusion holds.

Suppose for contradiction that the continuous image of a connected space $Y=f(X)$ is disconnected. Then there are disjoint nonempty sets $U,V$, open in the subspace topology on $Y$, with $Y=U\cup V$. By continuity, $f^{-1}(U)$ and $f^{-1}(V)$ are disjoint open subsets of $X$; by surjectivity both are nonempty, and their union is $X$. This is a separation of a topological space of $X$, contradicting that $X$ is a connected space. Hence $Y$ is connected.

If $A\subseteq X$, the subspace topology on $A$ isIf $\sim$ is an equivalence relation on $X$ and $q:X\to X/\sim$ is the natural projection, the quotient topology declares $V\subseteq X/\sim$ open exactly when $q^{-1}(V)$ is open in $X$. For topological spaces $X$ and $Y$, the product topology on $X\times Y$ has as a basis all sets $U\times V$ with $U$ open in $X$ and $V$ open in $Y$.