Symmetric operator
A symmetric or formally self-adjoint operator is an object from mathematics . Such a linear operator is particularly considered in functional analysis in the context of unrestricted operators . Because a bounded symmetric operator is a self-adjoint operator .
In many applications, operators are considered that are unlimited . Examples are the momentum and Hamilton operators in quantum mechanics as well as many linear differential operators . In the case of unbounded differential operators, which are defined for bounded domains, it depends on the choice of the boundary conditions whether a symmetric differential operator is also essentially self-adjoint or even self-adjoint.
definition
Be a Hilbert dream . A linear operator is called symmetric if
applies to all . With which is domain of designated.
The definition did not require that a symmetric operator be densely defined . However, there is only an operator to be adjoint if it is densely defined. Therefore, the definition of the symmetric operator in the literature is not uniform on this point.
properties
- A linear operator is symmetric if and only if holds.
- For bounded linear operators, the terms self-adjoint and symmetric coincide. Therefore symmetric, not self-adjoint operators are always unbounded . In addition, Hellinger-Toeplitz's theorem says that every symmetric operator that is defined on the entire Hilbert space is continuous and therefore self-adjoint.
- Semi-bounded operators are also symmetric. If a semi-bounded operator satisfies one of the inequalities
- or
- then he is even self-adjoint.
- In contrast to the self-adjoint operators, symmetric operators can also have non-real eigenvalues.
example
Be the functional space of absolutely continuous functions on which vanish on the edge - so for valid. Since the space of absolutely continuous functions over a compact is isomorphic to the corresponding Sobolev space , the previously defined space can be understood as a Sobolev space with zero boundary conditions. Now consider the differential operator
into the Hilbert space of square integrable functions . This is symmetrical with respect to the complex -scalar product. This can be shown by means of partial integration . However, it is not self-adjoint, since the operator to be adjoint has, by definition, the maximum domain of definition, so the following applies to the adjoint operator
- .
Here the functions in the domain of no longer meet the zero boundary condition. Another choice of the boundary condition of can make it a self-adjoint operator.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Dirk Werner : functional analysis. 6th, corrected edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-540-72533-6 , p. 342.
- ^ A b Walter Rudin : Functional Analysis. McGraw-Hill, New York 1991. ISBN 0070542368 , p. 349.
- ^ Kosaku Yosida: Functional Analysis . 6th ed.Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York 1980, ISBN 3-540-10210-8 , pp. 197 .
- ↑ Dirk Werner : Functional Analysis. 6th, corrected edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-540-72533-6 , p. 350.
- ↑ Dirk Werner : Functional Analysis. 6th, corrected edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-540-72533-6 , p. 353.