MTL 411: Functional Analysis

Lecture A: Adjoint operators

Recall, Riesz representation theorem: Suppose f is a continuous linear functional on a

Hilbert space H. Then there exists a unique z in H such that f (x) = hx, zi for all x ∈ H.
As a consequence, for a given bounded linear operator, we can construct an associated
bounded linear operator, which is called Hilbert-adjoint operator or simply adjoint operator.

1 Adjoint operator
Let H1 and H2 be (Real/complex) Hilbert spaces and T : H1 → H2 be a bounded linear
operator. Then an adjoint operator T ∗ of T is an operator T ∗ : H2 → H1 satisfies

hT x, yi = hx, T ∗ yi , ∀x ∈ H1 , ∀y ∈ H2 .

Remark. In the above equation, the left hand side inner product is between elements in H2 ,
that is, the inner product is from H2 and in the right hand side the inner product is from
H1 .
Questions. Given T ∈ B(H1 , H2 ), does an adjoint operator T ∗ exist? If it exists, will it be
unique and bounded operator? The answers are affirmative.
Theorem 1.1. Given T ∈ B(H1 , H2 ), there exists a unique operator T ∗ ∈ B(H2 , H1 ) such
that
hT x, yi = hx, T ∗ yi , ∀x ∈ H1 , ∀y ∈ H2
and ||T || = ||T ∗ ||.

Proof. Fix y ∈ H2 . Define fy (x) = hT x, yi, x ∈ H1 .

Since T is bounded linear operator and using Cauchy-Schwarz inequality (CSI), we can show
that fy is a continuous linear functional on H1 , that is, fy is linear and

|fy (x)| ≤ ||T || ||y|| ||x||, ∀x ∈ H1 .

Then by Riesz representation theorem, there exists a unique z ∈ H1 such that fy (x) = hx, zi.
Therefore for each y ∈ H2 , there exists a unique z ∈ H1 such that fy (x) = hx, zi = hT x, yi.
Now, we define T ∗ y = z, for each y ∈ H2 . Thus

hx, T ∗ yi = hT x, yi , ∀x ∈ H1 , ∀y ∈ H2 . (1.1)

The uniqueness of T ∗ follows from the Riesz representation theorem or from a simple relation
that h(T1 − T2 )y, xi = 0 for all y ∈ H2 , x ∈ H1 implies T1 − T2 = 0.
Claim: T ∗ is linear.
Consider y, z ∈ H2 and α ∈ K(R or C), we get

hx, T ∗ (αy + z)i = hT x, αy + zi

= α hT x, yi + hT x, zi
= α hx, T ∗ yi + hx, T ∗ zi
= hx, αT ∗ y + T ∗ zi , ∀x ∈ H1 .

1
Hence T ∗ (αy + z) = αT ∗ y + T ∗ z, ∀y, z ∈ H2 , ∀α ∈ K.
Claim: T ∗ is bounded and ||T || = ||T ∗ ||.
Since the equation (1.1) is satisfied for all elements in H1 and H2 , choose x = T ∗ y and
using CSI, we get
||T ∗ y||2 ≤ ||T || ||T ∗ y|| ||y||, ∀y ∈ H2 .
=⇒ ||T ∗ y|| ≤ ||T || ||y||, ∀y ∈ H2 .
Therefore, T ∗ is bounded and ||T ∗ || ≤ ||T ||. By a similar argument using (1.1), we can show
that ||T || ≤ ||T ∗ ||.

Remark. If we have an operator S such that hx, Syi = hT x, yi , ∀x ∈ H1 , ∀y ∈ H2 , then by

uniqueness T ∗ = S.
Examples.

• A : Rn → Rn , x 7→ Ax. Then hAx, yi = (Ax)T y = (xT AT )y = xT (AT y) = x, AT y .



Therefore, the adjoint A∗ is the transpose AT of A.

D E
• B : Cn → Cn , x 7→ Bx. Then hBx, yi = (Bx)T y = (xT B T )y = xT (B T y) = x, B T y .
Therefore, the adjoint B ∗ is the conjugate-transpose B T of B.
• The integral operator T : L2 [a, b] → L2 [a, b] defined by
Zb
T f (x) = k(x, t)f (t)dt, x ∈ [a, b]
a

where k(x, t) is a real-valued continuous function on [a, b] × [a, b]. Then it is easy to
show that T is a bounded linear operator. Indeed,
Zb Zb
2 2
|T f (x)| ≤ |k(x, t)| dt |f (t)|2 dt (using CSI in continuous variable)
a a
 b  21  21   12
Zb Zb Zb

Z
 |T f (x)|2 dx ≤  |k(x, t)|2 dtdx  |f (t)|2 dt .
a a a a

Now we calculate T∗ :
Zb
hT f, gi = T f (x)g(x)dx
a
Zb
 b 
Z
=  k(x, t)f (t)dt g(x)dx
a a
Zb
 b 
Z
=  k(x, t)g(x)dx f (t)dt
a a

Zb
 b 
Z
= f (t) k(x, t)g(x)dxdt.
a a

Zb
∗
Therefore, T g(y) = k(s, y)g(s)ds, y ∈ [a, b].
a

2
Exercises

1. Find the adjoint of right shift operator:

T (x1 , x2 , . . .) = (0, x1 , x2 , . . .), x = (x1 , x2 , . . .) ∈ `2 .

2. Find the adjoint of multiplication operator:

M f (x) = g(x)f (x), f ∈ L2 [a, b]

where g(x) is a bounded function on [a, b].

Next we will discuss a simple lemma which will be useful in several occasions.

Lemma 1.2. (Zero operator) Let X and Y be inner product spaces and T : X → Y be a
bounded linear operator. Then

(a) T = 0 ⇐⇒ hT x, yi = 0 for all x ∈ X and y ∈ Y.

(b) If T : X → X, where X is complex, and hT x, xi = 0 for all x ∈ X, then T = 0.

Proof. (a) The proof is trivial.

(b) Consider

hT (αx + y), αx + yi = 0 (1.2)

α hT y, xi + α hT x, yi = 0, ∀α ∈ C∀x, y ∈ X. (1.3)

Choose α = 1 and α = i, we get hT x, yi = 0, ∀x, y ∈ X. Then T = 0.

Remark. In the above lemma, if X is real inner product space then the statment (b) is not
true. (Hint. Use rotation operator in R2 .)

Properties of the adjoint operator

Theorem 1.3. Let T : H1 → H2 be a bounded linear operator. Then

1. (T ∗ )∗ = T

2. ||T T ∗ || = ||T ∗ T || = ||T ||2

3. N (T ) = R(T ∗ )⊥

4. N (T )⊥ = R(T ∗ )

5. N (T ∗ ) = R(T )⊥

6. N (T ∗ )⊥ = R(T )

Here N (T ) and R(T ) denote the null space and range space of T .

Proof. 1. Consider h(T ∗ )∗ x, yi = hx, T ∗ yi = hT x, yi , for all x ∈ H1 , y ∈ H2 .

Then h((T ∗ )∗ − T )x, yi = 0, for all x ∈ H1 , y ∈ H2 .

3
2. Recall that the norm of composition operators ||SH|| ≤ ||S|| ||H||. Henceforth, we get
||T ∗ T || ≤ ||T ∗ || ||T || = ||T ||2 .
For the other inequality, consider
! !
||T x|| ||T x||
||T ||2 = sup sup
06=x∈H1 ||x|| 06=x∈H1 ||x||

||T x||2 hT x, T xi
= sup 2
= sup
06=x∈H1 ||x|| 06=x∈H1 ||x||2
hT ∗ T x, xi
= sup
06=x∈H1 ||x||2
||T ∗ T ||||x||||x||
≤ sup = ||T ∗ T ||.
06=x∈H1 ||x||2

3. Suppose x ∈ N (T ), then T x = 0. Thus hT ∗ y, xi = hy, T xi = 0, for all y ∈ H2 .

Therefore, x ∈ R(T ∗ )⊥ . Similarly, it is easy to show that R(T ∗ )⊥ ⊂ N (T ).
4. For z ∈ R(T ∗ ), there exists a y ∈ H2 such that T ∗ y = z.
Then hz, xi = hT ∗ y, xi = hy, T xi = 0 for all x ∈ N (T ). Therefore, z ⊥ N (T ). This implies
that R(T ∗ ) ⊂ N (T )⊥ , and hence R(T ∗ ) ⊂ N (T )⊥ (why?).

Claim. R(T ∗ ) = N (T )⊥ .
Suppose this is not true, that is, R(T ∗ ) is a proper closed subspace of N (T )⊥ . Then by
projection theorem, there exists a 0 6= x0 ∈ N (T )⊥ and x0 ⊥ R(T ∗ ). In particular,

hx0 , T ∗ yi = 0, ∀y ∈ H2
=⇒ hT x0 , yi = 0, ∀y ∈ H2
=⇒ T x0 = 0,
=⇒ x0 ∈ N (T ) ∩ N (T )⊥

Therefore, x0 = 0 which is contradiction to x0 6= 0, hence the claim is proved.

The other parts are exercise.

Exercises Let H1 , H2 and H3 be Hilbert spaces. Then show that

1. (T S)∗ = S ∗ T ∗ for S ∈ B(H1 , H2 ), T ∈ B(H2 , H3 )

2. (αT + βS)∗ = αT ∗ + βS ∗ for S, T ∈ B(H1 , H2 ), and α, β ∈ K.

3. T ∗ T = 0 ⇐⇒ T = 0.

4. Construct a bounded linear operator on `2 whose range is not closed.

x2 √
Hint: T (x1 , x2 , . . .) = (x1 , √ 2
, x33 , . . .), (xn ) ∈ `2 .

5. Let H be a Hilbert space and T : H → H be a bijective bounded linear operator whose

inverse is bounded. Show that (T ∗ )−1 exists and (T ∗ )−1 = [T −1 ]∗ .

6. Let T1 and T2 be bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space H into itself.
If hT1 x, xi = hT2 x, xi for all x ∈ H, show that T1 = T2 .

7. Let S = I + T ∗ T : H → H, where T is linear and bounded. Show that S −1 : S(H) → H

exists.

4
Self-adjoint, Normal and Unitary operators

Definition 1.4. A bounded linear operator T : H → H on a Hilbert space H is said to be

self-adjoint if T = T ∗,
unitary if T is bijective and T ∗ = T −1 ,
normal if T ∗T = T T ∗.

Remarks.

• T is unitary iff T ∗ T = T T ∗ = I.

• Unitary, Self-adjoint =⇒ Normal. The converse is not true. (Hint. T = 2iI, where I
is the identity operator on a complex Hilbert space).

Let us discuss a simple criterion for self-adjointness.

Theorem 1.5. (Self-adjointness) Let T : H → H be a bounded linear operator on a Hilbert

space H. Then:

(a) If T is self-adjoint, then hT x, xi is real for all x ∈ H.

(b) If H is complex Hilber space and hT x, xi is real for all x ∈ H, then T is self-adjoint.

Proof. (a) Given T = T ∗ , we get hT x, xi = hx, T xi = hT x, xi, for all x ∈ H. Hence the
imaginary part of hT x, xi = 0 for all x ∈ H.
(b) Consider hT x, xi = hT x, xi = hx, T ∗ xi = hT ∗ x, xi for all x ∈ H.
Thus h(T − T ∗ )x, xi = 0, for all x ∈ H. Hence by zero operator lemma, we get T = T ∗ .

Remarks.

1. Suppose S and T are self-adjoint operators. Then (ST )∗ = T ∗ S ∗ = ST . Therefore, ST

is self-adjoint iff S and T commutes.

2. The set of self-adjoint operators in B(H) is a closed set with respect to operator norm.

Now we discuss some basic properties of unitary operators.

Theorem 1.6. (Unitary operator) Let H be a Hilbert space and the operators U : H → H
and V : H → H be unitary. Then:

(a) U is isometric, i.e., ||U x|| = ||x||, for all x ∈ H.

(b) ||U || = 1, provided H 6= {0}.

(c) U −1 , U V are unitary.

(d) A bounded linear operator T on a complex Hilbert space H is unitary if and only if T
is isometric and surjective.

Proof. (a) Since U U ∗ = U ∗ U = I, we get hU ∗ U x, xi = hIx, xi = ||x||2 . Thus ||U x|| = ||x||.
x
(b) If H 6= {0}, choose 0 6= x ∈ H, then ||U ( ||x|| )|| = 1.
(c) Since U −1 = U ∗ , we have (U −1 )−1 = (U ∗ )−1 = (U −1 )∗ . Next, (U V )∗ U V = V ∗ U ∗ U V = I.
Then the result follows.

5
(d) Suppose T is a unitary operator on a complex Hilbert space H, then it is clear that T
is isometric and surjective. Conversely, suppose T is isometric and surjective on a complex
Hilbert space H. Then, consider

h(U ∗ U − I)x, xi = 0 for all x ∈ H,

then by zero operator lemma, we get U ∗ U = I. Since U is injective and surjective, U is

invertible. Therefore, U −1 = U ∗ .

Exercises Problems 4, 5, 6, 14, 15 from E. Kreyzig (Pages 207-208).

Reference
E. Kreyzig, Introductory Functional Analysis with Applications, John Wiley & Sons. Inc,
1978.