[Math] (Tensor) product of distributions

distribution-theory

Let $T \in \mathscr D^\prime(\mathbb R)$ be a distribution and let $\delta_0$ be the usual Dirac mass at $0$ (in $\mathbb R$).

Let us define the functional $S:=T\otimes \delta_0$ in the following way: for every $\phi \in C_c^\infty(\mathbb R^2)$ we set
$$
\langle S, \phi \rangle := \langle T, \phi(\cdot, 0) \rangle,
$$
which makes sense being $\phi(\cdot, 0) \in C_c^\infty(\mathbb R)$.

Question. Is $S$ a distribution?

I do think the answer is yes, because the map $S$ is clearly linear, and continuity should also be true (?). Is this an instance of the so-called tensor product of distributions? To which distributions can this construction be generalized?

I have always heard that defining product of distributions is "hard" (apart in the trivial case, i.e. when one distribution is represented by a smooth compactly supported function).

Thanks.

Best Answer

To prove continuity of $\phi$, it's enough to note that if $\phi_n\rightarrow\phi$ in $C_c^{\infty}(\mathbb{R}^2)$ then $$\psi_n=\phi_n(\cdot,0)\rightarrow\phi(\cdot,0)=\psi$$ in $C_c^{\infty}(\mathbb{R})$, which should follow from definitions (the derivatives of $\psi_n$ are partial derivatives of $\phi_n$).

The tensor product $T_1\otimes T_2$ of two distributions $T_1$ and $T_2$ is defined the same way as: $$\langle T_1\otimes T_2,\phi\rangle=\langle T_1, \langle T_2, \phi(x_1,\cdot)\rangle\rangle=\langle T_2, \langle T_1, \phi(\cdot,x_2)\rangle\rangle$$ It is the unique distribution which satisfies $$\langle T_1\otimes T_2,\phi_1\otimes\phi_2\rangle=\langle T_1,\phi_1\rangle\cdot\langle T_2,\phi_2\rangle$$ where $\phi_1\otimes\phi_2$ is the usual tensor product of functions: $$\big(\phi_1\otimes\phi_2\big)(x_1,x_2)=\phi_1(x_1)\phi_2(x_2)$$

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