The Tychonoff theorem and invariant pseudodistances (Q2314393)

The authors give a new proof for the fact that the Kobayashi and Carathéodory pseudodistances $k_D$, resp. $c_D$, associated with a convex domain $D$ in any complex locally convex Hausdorff vector space $X$ coincide. Actually, they simplify the arguments of Dineen-Timoney-Vigué [\textit{S. Dineen} et al., Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa, Cl. Sci., IV. Ser. 12, 515--529 (1985; Zbl 0603.46052)], deducing this fact with ultranet techniques from the finite-dimensional version due to \textit{L. Lempert} [Anal. Math. 8, 257--261 (1982; Zbl 0509.32015)], based upon the following observation: Given two distinct points $u,w \in D$, any holomorphic Carathéodory-maximal function $f_{Y,u,v} : D\cap Y \to \Delta=\{ \zeta\in\mathbb{C} : \vert \zeta\vert<1\}$, well defined with the requirements $f(w)=0$, resp. $f(u) = \tanh(c_{D\cap Y}(u,w))$), on a slice $D\cap Y$ with a finite-dimensional complex affine submanifold $Y\subset X$ containing $u,v$, can be embedded into the product space $\prod_{x\in D} \tanh(c_{D\cap Y}(u,w)) \overline{\Delta}$ of compact subdiscs of $\Delta$. Hence, an application of Tychonoff's compactness theorem along with Montel's principle yields the existence of a Carathéodory-maximal holomorphic function $f_{u,v}: D\to\Delta$ with $f_{u,v}(w)=0$ and $f_{u,v}(u) =c_D(u,w)$, and the coincidence $k_D=c_D$ follows easily by Lempert's theorem.