A note on pairs of projections (Q1382750)

The author gives a short proof of the following result of \textit{J. Avron, R. Seiler} and \textit{B. Simon} [J. Funct. Anal. 120, No. 1, 220-237 (1994; Zbl 0822.47033)]. If \(P, Q\) are (not necessarily self-adjoint) projections on a Hilbert space and \((P-Q)^n\) is trace-class (i.e. nuclear) for some odd integer \(n\) then \(\text{tr}(P-Q)^n\) is an integer and in fact, if \(P\) and \(Q\) are selfadjoint, \(\text{tr}(P-Q)^n=\dim E_{10}- \dim E_{01}\) where \(E_{ab}=\{x:Px=ax, Qx=bx\}\). In difference to J. Avron, R. Seiler and B. Simon, the author gives a proof which involves only simple algebraic identities and is valid in any Banach space with a trace.