Almost-atomic spaces (Q1203494)

A real infinite dimensional metric linear space \(X\) is called atomic if every infinite dimensional subspace has trivial dual, or, equivalent, if every proper closed subspace is finite dimensional. It is not known if such spaces exist. Weakening atomicity, the author defines \(X\) to be almost-atomic, if it has a sequence \((V_ n)^ \infty_{n=1}\) of independent subspaces with \(\dim V_ n\to\infty\) so that for any choice of \(x_ n\in V_ n\), with infinitely many \(x_ n\neq 0\), the linear span of the \(x_ n\)'s is dense. Every almost-atomic space has trivial dual. It is proved by an involved construction that there exist almost- atomic spaces of countable dimension.