On the stability index for weighted composition operators (Q619058)

An operator \(S:C(X)\to C(Y)\) is said to be a weighted composition operator (denoted \(S\in \mathbf {WCM}(X,Y)\)) if there exists \(a\in C(Y)\) and a map \(h:Y\to X\), continuous on \(\{y\in Y: a(y)\not=0\}\), such that \((Sf)(y)= a(y) f(h(y))\) for every \(f\in C(X)\) and \(y\in Y\). For \(\varepsilon\geq0\), the linear operator \(T:C(X)\to C(Y)\) is said to be \(\varepsilon\)-disjointness preserving, denoted \( T\in \mathbf{DP}_\varepsilon (X,Y)\), if \(\|(Tf)(Tg)\|_\infty\leq \varepsilon\) whenever \(f,g\in C(X)\) satisfies \(\|f\|_\infty=\|g\|_\infty=1\) and \(fg\equiv 0\). It is well known that any \(0\)-disjointness preserving continuous linear operator between \(C(X)\) and \(C(Y)\) is a weighted composition operator. The authors continue their study of these operators in [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 79, No. 2, 363--376 (2009; Zbl 1167.47030)]. In the present paper, they look at the stability index \[ S(X,Y)(\varepsilon)=\sup\{\text{dist}(T, \mathbf{WCM}(X,Y): T\in \mathbf{DP}_\varepsilon (X,Y)\}. \] It is shown that, if the cardinality of \(X\) is infinite, then \[ \min\{2\sqrt \varepsilon,1\} \leq S(X,Y)(\varepsilon)\leq \min \{\sqrt{17\varepsilon/2}, 1\}. \] The sharpness of these bounds is discussed. The case where \(X\) is finite is investigated, too. The conclusions in that case are, however, quite different.