A theorem of Krein revisited (Q2566486)

A classical result of M. Krein and M. A. Rutman states that if \(T\) is a continuous operator on a normed space leaving invariant an open cone, then \(T^*\) has an eigenvector. The authors give generalizations of this result. Namely: Let \(T\) be a continuous operator on a real normed space leaving invariant a cone with an interior point, then \(T^*\) has a positive eigenvector. Moreover, a commutative family of such operators has a common positive eigenvector. Note that the techniques in the paper can be applied to positive operators on \(C^*\)-algebras. For example, if \(T\) is a positive operator on a unital \(C^\star\)-algebra, then \(T*\) has a positive eigenvector. Among other things, the authors prove the following theorem from which it follows that the operator \(T\) has an invariant subspace of codimension one. Theorem: Suppose that \(T\) is a positive operator on an ordered normed space with monotone norm such that \(\| T \| = 1\) and \(Te> e\) for some \(e > 0\). Then \(T^*\) has a positive eigenvector. We note that similar results hold for rearrangement invariant operator spaces, arising from von Neumann algebras.