# Spectral measure of the multiplication operator

I have the following question: let $(X,\mathcal B,\mu)$ be a finite measure space and consider the operator $T\colon L^2(X,\mu)\to L^2(X,\mu)$ given by $Tf(x)=\varphi(x)f(x)$, where $\varphi\colon X\to\mathbb R$ is a bounded measurable function. Is there any possibility to determine the spectral measure? Hope this question is not too trivial. Thanks in advance.

beno

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I know how its done for the position operator, but can one generalize it ? – beno Jan 12 '12 at 17:58
does anyone have a suggestion ? – beno Jan 12 '12 at 18:53

The spectral measure of $T$ is the measure $E(\Delta)=1_{\Delta}(T)$, where $\Delta$ is any Borel set in the spectrum of $T$, and $1_\Delta$ is the characteristic function of $\Delta$.

Using functional calculus, we have, for any bounded Borel function $g$ on $\sigma(T)$, that $g(T)\,f=(g\circ\varphi)\,f$ for any $f\in L^2(X,\mu)$. Then $$E(\Delta)f=1_\Delta(T)\,f=(1_\Delta\circ\varphi)\,f=1_{\varphi^{-1}(\Delta)}\,f.$$

So, for each Borel set $\Delta$, the projection $E(\Delta)$ is the multiplication operator by the function $1_{\varphi^{-1}(\Delta)}$.

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+1: Nice concise answer. To make the last sentence explicit, the operator $E(\Delta)$ is multiplication by the function $1_{\varphi^{-1}(\Delta)}$. – Nate Eldredge Jan 13 '12 at 2:06
Totally right, Nate: thanks. I was trying to avoid the M_\varphi notation because the OP didn't use it, but then I really needed it in the last sentence. – Martin Argerami Jan 13 '12 at 6:00
I've edited the answer to include Nate's comment. – Martin Argerami Jan 13 '12 at 7:38
how can you apply the functional calculus to show that $g(T)f = (g \circ \varphi) f$ ? – beno Jan 13 '12 at 8:24
@beno An easy, but not rigorous explanation is the following. The equality obviously holds for any $g(t)=t^k$. Hence it is holds for any polynomial. Since polynomials are dense in $C([a,b])$ then the equality $g(T)f=(g\circ\varphi)f$ holds for any continuous $g$. Then for any Borel set $A\subset[a,b]$ its characteristic function can be uniformly approximated by continuous, hence this equality holds for any characteristic function $g$. Since linear span of this characteristic functions is dense in the space of bounded Borel functions, then this equality holds for any bounded Borel function. – Norbert Jan 13 '12 at 18:58

Put for $M\in\mathcal B$, where $\mathcal B$ is the $\sigma$-algebra on $X$, $E(M)=A_{\mathbf 1_M}$, where, for $g\in L^{\infty}(\mu)$, $A_g\colon L^2\to L^2$ $A_g(f)=fg$. $E$ is a spectral measure, since

• $E(M)$ is a projection for all $M\in\mathcal B$: $$E(M)(E(M)g)(f)=E(M)(\mathbf 1_Mf)=\mathbf 1_M\cdot \mathbf 1_M \cdot f=E(M)f;$$
• $E(\emptyset)=0,$E(X)=Id$; • If$M$and$N$are disjoint then$E(M)$and$E(N)$are orthogonal, since $$E(M)(E(N)f)=\mathbf 1_M\mathbf 1_N f=0=E(N)(E(M)f).$$ • If$\{A_n\}\subset \mathcal B$are disjoint then $$E\left(\bigcup_{n\in\mathbb N}A_n\right)(f)=\mathbf 1_{\bigcup_nA_n}f=\sum_{n=0}^{+\infty}\mathbf 1_{A_n}f=\sum_{n\in\mathbb N}E(A_n)(f).$$ Now check that$\int_f dE=A_f$for all$f\in L^{\infty}$.$E$is called the standard spectral measure. - I do not see why$\int_{f} dE = A_{f}$. – beno Jan 13 '12 at 7:37 I tried to show that$<f,\int_{\sigma(A_{g})} dE f> = <f,A_{g}f>$. But somehow it did not work. I came to the expression – beno Jan 13 '12 at 8:05 I tried to show that$<f,\int_{\sigma(A_{g})} dE f> = <f,A_{g}f>$. But somehow it did not work. I came to the expression$<f,A_{g}f> = \int_{X} |f(x)|^{2} g(x) d \mu$and$<f,E(M)f> = \int_{g^{-1}(M)} |f(x)|^{2} d \mu$and from this I could deduce that$d<f,\int \lambda dE f> = \int_{\sigma(A_{g})} \lambda d<f, E(\lambda)f>$and from this I could deduce that$d<f,E(\lambda)f> = |f(x)|^{2} \chi_{g^{-1}(\lambda)}(x) d \mu(\lambda)$. How to go further ? – beno Jan 13 '12 at 8:12 Consider the space$B([a,b])$of bounded Borel functions. We will endow it locally convex topology. Let$M([a,b])$be a Banach space of complex-valued Borel measures on$[a,b]$. For each$\mu\in M([a,b])$we define a semi-norm $$\Vert\cdot\Vert_\mu:B([a,b])\to\mathbb{R}_+: f\mapsto \int\limits_{[a,b]}f(t)d\mu(t).$$ The family$\{\Vert\cdot\Vert_\mu:\mu\in M([a,b])\}$gives rise to some Hausdorff locally convex topology on$B([a,b])$. We will denote this space$(B([a,b]),wm)$.Consider$\mathcal{B}(H)$with weak operator topology and denote this space$(\mathcal{B}(H),wo)$. A continuous$*$-homomorphism$\gamma_{b,T}:(B([a,b]),wm)\to(\mathcal{B}(H),wo)$such that$\gamma_{b,T}(id_{[a,b]})=T$is called Borel functional calculus of operator$T$. Theorem There exist unique Borel functional calculus$\gamma_{b,T}:(B([a,b]),wm)\to(\mathcal{B}(H),wo)$. Moreover this is contractive involutive homomorphism of involutive algebras which extends continuous calculus on$[a,b]$. Denote$H=L^2(X,\mu)$. Since$\varphi\colon X\to\mathbb{R}$is a bounded measurable function then$T$is a bounded selfadjoint operator. Hence$\sigma(T)\subset\mathbb{R}$. Since$T$is selfadjoint then there exist some interval$[a,b]$such that$\sigma(T)\subset[a,b]$. Now let$\gamma_{b,T}$be the Borel functional calculus on$[a,b]$then we can define spectral measure by the following procedure. For each Borel set$A\subset [a,b]$we define its spectral measure$E(A)$by equality $$E(A)=\gamma_{b,T}(1_{A\cap[a,b]}).$$ where$1_{A\cap[a,b]}$is a characteristic function of$A\cap[a,b]\$.

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