Self-adjoint bounded operator with finite spectrum implies diagonalisable

c-star-algebrashilbert-spacesoperator-algebrasself-adjoint-operatorsspectral-theory

Let $T$ be a self-adjoint bounded operator on a not-necessarily finite dimensional Hilbert space.

Suppose $T$ has finite spectrum. Does it follow that the elements of the spectrum are eigenvalues, and the operator diagonlisable?

Best Answer

Yes, you can calculate the spectral projection for each eigenvalue $\lambda$ by integrating the resolvent in a small contour around $\lambda$ that avoids all of the other eigenvalues $$P_\lambda = \frac{1}{2\pi i} \int_C (T-z I)^{-1} \, dz.$$ The Hilbert space will then be the direct sum of the spectral subspaces corresponding to the spectral projections. Isolated elements of the spectrum are always eigenvalues.

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