On the sum of a narrow and a compact operators (Q2511681)

The paper deals with narrow operators in the sense of \textit{A. M. Plichko} and \textit{M. M. Popov} [Diss. Math. 306 (1990; Zbl 0715.46011)] defined on a space of functions on an atomless finite measure \((\Omega, \Sigma, \mu)\). It is shown that, for every Köthe \(F\)-space \(X\) and for every locally convex \(F\)-space \(Y\), the sum of a narrow operator \(T_1: X \to Y\) and a compact narrow operator \(T_2: X \to Y\) is narrow. This implies, in particular, the same result for operators on \(L_\infty\), which gives a positive answer to Problems 5.6 and 11.63 from the book [\textit{M. Popov} and \textit{B. Randrianantoanina}, Narrow operators on function spaces and vector lattices. Berlin: de Gruyter (2013; Zbl 1258.47002)]. Even more, instead of compactness of \(T\) (which means relative compactness of \(T(\{x \in X: \|x\| \leq 1\})\)), it is sufficient to assume the relative compactness of \(T(\{1_A - 1_B \in X: A, B \in \Sigma\})\). It is also shown that the main result remains true for a not locally convex \(F\)-space \(Y\) if it has a transfinite basis. It remains open whether the same statement is true for \(X = L_\infty[0, 1]\) and \(Y = L_p[0, 1]\) with \(p \in (0,1)\).