Locally uniformly convex norms in Banach spaces and their duals (Q2426500)

The classical Šmulyan theorem ensures that if \((X,\|\cdot\|)\) is a Banach space such that its dual norm \(\|\cdot\|^*\) is strictly convex (resp., locally uniformly convex), then \(\|\cdot\|\) in \(X\) is Gâteaux differentiable (resp., Fréchet differentiable). Quoting the present paper, ``on the other hand, there would seem to be, a priori, no reason why a convexity condition in the dual space should imply any sort of convexity in the space''. This paper does exactly this, by proving an unexpected (and important) result in this direction, namely, that (Theorem A) a Banach space \((X,\|\cdot\|)\) has an equivalent locally uniformly convex norm \(|||\cdot|||\) if the dual norm \(\|\cdot\|^*\) is locally uniformly convex (moreover, \(|||\cdot|||\) can be chosen to have locally uniformly dual norm \(|||\cdot|||^*\)). In fact, the author obtains Theorem A from the following more general statement concerning \(C(K)\)-spaces (Theorem B): Let \(K\) be a Namioka--Phelps compactum. Then there is a norm on \(C(K)\), equivalent to the supremum norm, which is locally uniformly convex. Let us recall here that a topological space \((X,\mathcal T)\) has property \(P(d,\mathcal T)\), where \(d\) is a metric on \(X\) inducing a topology finer that \(\mathcal T\), if there exists a sequence \((B_n)_{n\in\omega}\) of subsets of \(X\) such that the topology generated by \(\mathcal T\cup \{B_n\mid n\in\omega\}\) is finer than the topology induced by \(d\). A compact topological space \((X,\mathcal T)\) is descriptive [\textit{R.\,W.\thinspace Hansell}, Serdica Math.\ J.\ 27, No.\,~1, 1--66 (2001; Zbl 0982.46012)] if it has property \(P(d,\mathcal T)\) for some metric \(d\) on \(X\), and it is called Namioka--Phelps [\textit{M.\,Raja}, Isr.\ J.\ Math.\ 129, 77--91 (2002; Zbl 1024.46004)] if it has property \(P(d,\mathcal T)\) for some \(\mathcal T\)-lower semicontinuous metric \(d\). It has been shown by \textit{M.\,Raja} [op.\ cit.]\ that a Banach space \(X\) admits an equivalent norm with locally uniformly convex dual norm if and only if \((B_{(X^*,\|\cdot\|)},w^*)\) is Namioka--Phelps; and \((X,\|\cdot\|)\) admits an equivalent norm with \(w^*\)-locally uniformly convex dual norm if and only if \((B_{(X^*,\|\cdot\|)},w^*)\) is descriptive [cf.\ \textit{M.\,Raja}, J.~Funct.\ Anal.\ 197, 1--13 (2003; Zbl 1024.46005)]. Since a Banach space with a locally uniformly convex norm such that its dual norm is also locally uniformly convex admits \(\mathcal C^1\)-partitions of unity, and so every continuous real-valued function on it may be uniformly approximated by functions of class \(\mathcal C^1\), this happens, as a corollary, in Banach spaces with a dual locally uniformly convex norm (Corollary to Theorem A). This was previously proved for \(C(K)\) spaces having a \(\mathcal C^1\)-bump function [\textit{P.\,Hájek} and \textit{R.\,Haydon}, Q.\ J.\ Math.\ 58, No.\,~2, 221--228 (2007; Zbl 1137.46004)]. The construction of the equivalent norm in the space \(C(K)\), \(K\) a descriptive compactum, is very technical, and it is based on the existence of special \(\sigma\)-isolated families of subsets of \(K\). In checking the local uniform convexity of this norm at certain elements of \(C(K)\) (those that are \(d\)-uniformly continuous for a metric \(d\) on \(K\) such that \(K\) has property \(P(d,\mathcal T)\)), Deville's master lemma [see \textit{R.\,Deville, G.\,Godefroy} and \textit{V.\,Zizler}, ``Smoothness and renormings in Banach spaces'' (Harlow:\ Longman Scientific \& Technical; New York:\ John Wiley \& Sons, Inc.)\ (1993; Zbl 0782.46019)] and the construction of special trees play a rôle.