The unitary group in a unital C⋆-algebra is locally path connected #
When A is a unital C⋆-algebra and u : unitary A is a unitary element whose distance to 1 is
less that 2, the spectrum of u is contained in the slit plane, so the principal branch of the
logarithm is continuous on the spectrum of u (or equivalently, Complex.arg is continuous on the
spectrum). The continuous functional calculus can then be used to define a selfadjoint element x
such that u = exp (I • x). Moreover, there is a relatively nice relationship between the norm of
x and the norm of u - 1, namely ‖u - 1‖ ^ 2 = 2 * (1 - cos ‖x‖). In fact, these maps u ↦ x
and x ↦ u establish a partial homeomorphism between ball (1 : unitary A) 2 and
ball (0 : selfAdjoint A) π.
The map t ↦ exp (t • (I • x)) constitutes a path from 1 to u, showing that unitary elements
sufficiently close (i.e., within a distance 2) to 1 : unitary A are path connected to 1.
This property can be translated around the unitary group to show that if u v : unitary A are
unitary elements with ‖u - v‖ < 2, then there is a path joining them. In fact, this path has the
property that it lies within closedBall u ‖u - v‖, and consequently any ball of radius δ < 2 in
unitary A is path connected. Therefore, the unitary group is locally path connected.
Finally, we provide the standard characterization of the path component of 1 : unitary A as finite
products of exponential unitaries.
Main results #
unitary.argSelfAdjoint: the selfadjoint element obtained by taking the argument (using the principal branch and the continuous functional calculus) of a unitary. This returns0if the principal branch of the logarithm is not continuous on the spectrum of the unitary element.selfAdjoint.norm_sq_expUnitary_sub_one:‖(selfAdjoint.expUnitary x - 1 : A)‖ ^ 2 = 2 * (1 - Real.cos ‖x‖)unitary.norm_argSelfAdjoint:‖unitary.argSelfAdjoint u‖ = Real.arccos (1 - ‖(u - 1 : A)‖ ^ 2 / 2)unitary.openPartialHomeomorph: the mapsunitary.argSelfAdjointandselfAdjoint.expUnitaryform a partial homeomorphism betweenball (1 : unitary A) 2andball (0 : selfAdjoint A) π.selfAdjoint.expUnitaryPathToOne: the patht ↦ expUnitary (t • x)from1toexpUnitary xfor a selfadjoint elementx.unitary.isPathConnected_ball: any ball of radiusδ < 2in the unitary group of a unital C⋆-algebra is path connected.unitary.instLocPathConnectedSpace: the unitary group of a C⋆-algebra is locally path connected.unitary.mem_pathComponentOne_iff: The path component of the identity in the unitary group of a C⋆-algebra is the set of unitaries that can be expressed as a product of exponentials of selfadjoint elements.
The selfadjoint element obtained by taking the argument (using the principal branch and the
continuous functional calculus) of a unitary whose spectrum does not contain -1. This returns
0 if the principal branch of the logarithm is not continuous on the spectrum of the unitary
element.
Instances For
the maps unitary.argSelfAdjoint and selfAdjoint.expUnitary form a partial
homeomorphism between ball (1 : unitary A) 2 and ball (0 : selfAdjoint A) π.
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
 
Instances For
For a selfadjoint element x in a C⋆-algebra, this is the path from 1 to expUnitary x
given by t ↦ expUnitary (t • x).
Equations
- selfAdjoint.expUnitaryPathToOne x = { toFun := fun (t : ↑unitInterval) => selfAdjoint.expUnitary (↑t • x), continuous_toFun := ⋯, source' := ⋯, target' := ⋯ }
 
Instances For
The path t ↦ expUnitary (t • argSelfAdjoint (v * star u)) * u
from u : unitary A to v when ‖v - u‖ < 2.
Equations
- unitary.path u v huv = { toFun := fun (t : ↑unitInterval) => selfAdjoint.expUnitary (↑t • unitary.argSelfAdjoint (v * star u)) * u, continuous_toFun := ⋯, source' := ⋯, target' := ⋯ }
 
Instances For
Two unitary elements u and v in a unital C⋆-algebra are joined by a path if the
distance between them is less than 2.
Any ball of radius δ < 2 in the unitary group of a unital C⋆-algebra is path connected.
The unitary group in a C⋆-algebra is locally path connected.
The path component of the identity in the unitary group of a C⋆-algebra is the set of unitaries that can be expressed as a product of exponential unitaries.