In an inner product space that is not complete, is there a closed orthonormal system that is also complete

functional-analysishilbert-spaces

Let $V$ be an inner product space and $(e_n)_{n=1}^{\infty}$ be an orthonormal system. We call it complete if $\left \langle v,e_n \right \rangle=0$ for all $n$ implies $v=0$; and closed if $v=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\left \langle v,e_n \right \rangle e_n$ for every $v\in V$.

My question is this: is there a closed orthonormal system that is also complete in an inner product space that is not complete (not a hilbert space)?

Best Answer

Think of the trigonometric Fourier series in $C^0([0,2\pi])$ the space of all continuous functions with the $L^2$-norm. $$ ||f||_2:=\left(\int_0^{2\pi} |f(x)|^2\,{\rm d}x\right)^{1/2} $$

This is not complete inner product space in the Cauchy sense, but it is known that any vector (continuous function) in $C^0([0,2\pi])$ has a Fourier expansion (closed). And the zero vector is the only one with zero coefficeints (complete).

Note the closedness and completeness of the the orthonormal systems have nothing to do with topology. Actaully, the set of all (finite) linear combinations of trigonometric function $\cos nx$, $\sin nx$ and some constant is neither complete (Cauchy sense) nor closed (not every limit point is in it). See this.

Related Question