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TheoremStatement: AI-adaptedProof: AI-adaptedPipeline-generatedjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-22
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Commutative Gelfand Naimark

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Choice (The Axiom of Choice). Let A be a nonzero unital commutative complex C*-algebra (C star algebra, Unital Banach algebra). Then the Gelfand transform

Γ:A→C(Δ(A)),Γ(a)=a^,a^(χ)=χ(a),

is an isometric unital ∗-isomorphism onto C(Δ(A)): Γ is a unital complex-algebra homomorphism satisfying Γ(a∗)=Γ(a)‾ and ∥Γ(a)∥∞=∥a∥ for every a∈A, and Γ(A)=C(Δ(A)).

Facts & Assumptions

Given: An assumed Axiom of Choice, a nonzero unital commutative complex C*-algebra A, its character space Δ(A), and the Gelfand transform Γ.

[L1]

Δ(A) is a nonempty compact Hausdorff space (Maximal ideal space is compact Hausdorff, The Axiom of Choice).

[L2]

Every element of A is normal, because a∗a=aa∗ holds in a commutative algebra (C star algebra).

[L3]

χ(a∗)=χ(a)‾ for every character and every a (Characters on a unital commutative C star algebra preserve star).

[L4]

Γ is a unital complex-algebra homomorphism and ∥Γ(a)∥∞=r(a)≤∥a∥ for every a (Gelfand transform is a contractive unital homomorphism).

[L5]

r(x)=∥x∥ for every normal x in a unital C*-algebra (C star spectral radius equals norm for normal elements).

[L6]

If X is compact Hausdorff and B⊆C(X,C) is a unital point-separating self-adjoint complex function algebra, then B is uniformly dense in C(X,C) (Complex Stone–Weierstrass dichotomy for separating self-adjoint algebras; the unital case is dense).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1L1

Δ(A) is a nonempty compact Hausdorff space by [L1], so C(Δ(A)) is a complex Banach algebra under the supremum norm with pointwise operations.

1.2L2L5

Every element of A is normal by [L2], so r(a)=∥a∥ for all a by [L5].

1.3L4

Γ is a unital algebra homomorphism with ∥Γ(a)∥∞=r(a), by [L4].

1.4L3

Γ(a∗)(χ)=χ(a∗)=χ(a)‾=Γ(a)(χ)‾ for every χ, by [L3]; that is, Γ(a∗)=Γ(a)‾.

2.1step 1.2step 1.3

Γ is isometric: ∥Γ(a)∥∞=r(a)=∥a∥ for every a, by [step 1.2] and [step 1.3].

2.2step 1.3step 1.4

The range B:=Γ(A) is a unital self-adjoint complex subalgebra of C(Δ(A)): it is a subalgebra by [step 1.3] and contains the constant function one; it is self-adjoint by [step 1.4]; and it separates points, since for χ≠ψ there is a∈A with χ(a)≠ψ(a), and then Γ(a)(χ)≠Γ(a)(ψ).

3.1step 1.1step 2.2L6

By [L6] applied to the compact Hausdorff space Δ(A) and the unital point-separating self-adjoint function algebra B, the range B is uniformly dense in C(Δ(A)).

3.2step 1.1step 2.1

The range B=Γ(A) is closed in C(Δ(A)): Γ is isometric by [step 2.1] and A is complete, so B is a complete subspace of the Banach space C(Δ(A)), hence closed.

4.1step 1.3step 1.4step 2.1step 3.1step 3.2∎

A dense and closed subset equals the whole space, so B=C(Δ(A)) by [step 3.1] and [step 3.2]; together with [step 2.1], [step 1.3] and [step 1.4] this says that Γ is an isometric unital ∗-isomorphism onto C(Δ(A)).

Remarks

  • Every hypothesis is used. Normality for the isometry, the C*-identity to make elements normal, the algebra-commutativity for the ∗-property through the character lemma, compactness of Δ(A) for Stone–Weierstrass, and completeness for closedness of the range.
  • The inverse is the inverse of an isometry, so it is a contraction; it is nevertheless not claimed to be multiplicative beyond what the isomorphism statement already gives.

Depends on

Dependency tree · 2 levels

Sources