Show that for the two sided left shift operator in $\ell_2(\mathbb{Z})$ has $\{|\lambda | =1\} $ in its spectrum

functional-analysishilbert-spacesoperator-theory

Let $S:\ell_2(\mathbb{Z}) \to \ell_2(\mathbb{Z})$ be the left shift operator $S(\ldots, x_{-2}, x_{-1}, x_0, x_1, x_2, \ldots) = (\ldots, x_{-1}, x_0, x_1, x_2, x_3 \ldots)$

I want to show that $\{|\lambda | =1\} \subset \sigma(S)$

The hint that was given is to show that if $ |\lambda | =1$, then it's an almost eigenvalue of $S$.
Namely, for every $\epsilon > 0$ there is $x \in \ell_2(\mathbb{Z})$ such that $||x||=1$ and $||Sx – \lambda x|| \le \epsilon$

If could find such $x$ for a given $\epsilon$, then I can easily show that $ (S – \lambda I) x$ is not invertible.

However, I am struggling to find such an $x$.

Help would be appreciated.

Best Answer

The suggestion by amsmath is the canonical one. We have $$ \sum_{k=-N}^N|\lambda^k|^2=2N+1. $$ So we can define $$ x=\frac1{2N+1}\sum_{k=-N}^N\lambda^ke_k, $$ with $N$ to be chosen later. So $\|x\|=1$ and
\begin{align} Sx-\lambda x&=\frac1{2N+1}\Big(\sum_{k=-N}^N\lambda^ke_{k-1}-\sum_{k=-N}^N\lambda^{k+1}e_k\Big) =\frac1{2N+1}\Big(\sum_{k=-N-1}^{N-1}\lambda^{k+1}e_{k}-\sum_{k=-N}^N\lambda^{k+1}e_k\Big)\\[0.3cm] &=\frac1{2N+1}\Big(\lambda^{-N}e_{-N-1}-\lambda^{N+1}e_N\Big). \end{align} Then $$ \|Sx-\lambda\|=\frac{\sqrt2}{2N+1}. $$ Now can choose $N$ such that $2N+1>\sqrt2/\varepsilon$.

Related Question