Closed range positive operators on Banach spaces (Q2453810)

A result of Dixmier states that the range of a bounded positive operator on a complex Hilbert space has closed range if and only if the operator and its square root have common ranges. In the setting of reflexive Banach spaces it does not make sense to talk about the square root of an operator. Nevertheless, if \(T\) is an operator between Hilbert spaces, then \(\operatorname{ran} (T^* T)^{1/2} = \operatorname{ran} T^*\) by Embry's factorization theorem (see \textit{P. A. Fillmore} and \textit{J. P. Williams} [ Adv. Math. 7, 254--281 (1971; Zbl 0224.47009)]). Hence Dixmier's theorem can be reformulated as: if \(T\) is a bounded operator on a Hilbert space, then \(T^*T\) has closed range if and only if \(ran (T^* T)^{1/2} = ran T^*\). The author first gives a metric characterization of positive operators with closed ranges which yields the following generalization of Dixmier's result to Banach spaces. Theorem. Let \(X\) be a reflexive Banach space and \(H\) be Hilbert space. For a bounded linear operator \(T:X\rightarrow H\) the following are equivalent:\newline (i) \(T\) has closed range.\newline (ii) \(T^*T\) has closed range.\newline (iii) \(\operatorname{ran} T^*T = \operatorname{ran} T^*\).