Proving $\dim\ker(I-T)=\dim\ker(I-T^*)<\infty$ for finite-rank operator on a Hilbert space

adjoint-operatorsfunctional-analysishilbert-spacesoperator-theory

In my functional analysis class, I have encountered the following problem

Let $H$ be a Hilbert space and $T$ a finite-rank (its range is finite-dimensional) and bounded linear operator on $H$. We are asked to show
$$
\dim\ker(I-T)=\dim\ker(I-T^*)<\infty.
$$

I know that the fact that $T$ is finite-rank (its range is finite-dimensional) is supposed to help, but I cannot see how to use it. I do know that $T$ is compact because it is finite-rank and maybe we need to use spectral theory, but I have no other idea how to show this problem and I am stuck. Any help is appreciated and I thank all helpers.

Best Answer

Because $T$ is finite-rank, it is compact. Both $I-T$ and $I-T^*$ are Fredholm, of index zero. So the dimension of each kernel is the codimension of the range, or the dimension of the orthocomplement of the range, and both are finite-dimensional. But if $x$ is perpendicular to everything in the range of $I-T$, a formal computation shows that $$\begin{align*} 0&=\langle x,(I-T)y\rangle\\ &=\langle(I-T^*)x,y\rangle \end{align*}$$ so $x$ is in the kernel of $(I-T^*)$. So the codimension of the range of $I-T$ is at most the dimension of the kernel of $(I-T^*)$, and, symmetrically, the codimension of the range of $(I-T)$ is at most the dimension of the kernel of $(I-T)$. But using the fact that the dimensions of the kernels and the codimensions of the ranges are the same, we get equality. $$\begin{align*} \text{codim} \text{ Ran}(I-T)&\le\dim\text{ Ker}(I-T^*)\\ \text{codim}\text{ Ran}(I-T^*)&\le\dim\text{ Ker}(I-T)\\ &\implies\\ \dim\text{ Ker}(I-T)&\le\dim\text{ Ker}(I-T^*)\\ \dim\text{ Ker}(I-T^*)&\le\dim\text{ Ker}(I-T) \end{align*}$$ so they are equal.