B3.8

Hilbert Spaces
Part II, 2001

Let TT be a bounded linear operator on a Hilbert space HH. Define what it means to say that TT is (i) compact, and (ii) Fredholm. What is the index, ind (T)(T), of a Fredholm operator TT ?

Let S,TS, T be bounded linear operators on HH. Prove that SS and TT are Fredholm if and only if both STS T and TST S are Fredholm. Prove also that if SS is invertible and TT is Fredholm then ind(ST)=ind(TS)=ind(T)\operatorname{ind}(S T)=\operatorname{ind}(T S)=\operatorname{ind}(T).

Let KK be a compact linear operator on HH. Prove that I+KI+K is Fredholm with index zero.