Weak sequential completeness of \(\mathcal{K}(X,Y)\) (Q2861267)

Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be Banach spaces and denote by \(\mathcal K(X, Y)\) and \(\mathcal W(X, Y)\) the spaces of compact and weakly compact operators. Recall that \(X\) is said to have the bounded compact approximation property (BCAP) if there exists \(\lambda \geq 1\) such that on compact subsets of \(X\) the identity operator on \(X\) can be approximated uniformly by compact operators on \(X\) of norm \(\leq \lambda\). If in this definition \(\lambda = 1\) and one can replace compact operators by finite rank operators, then \(X\) is said to have the metric approximation property (MAP).NEWLINENEWLINEIn [\textit{D.~R.~Lewis}, Math. Ann. 201, 201--209 (1973; Zbl 0234.46069)] it was proved under the assumption of the MAP on \(X^*\) or \(Y\), that \(\mathcal K(X, Y)\) is weakly sequentially complete whenever \(X^*\) and \(Y\) are weakly sequentially complete and \(\mathcal W(X,Y) = \mathcal K(X,Y)\). The author improves (in Theorem~2.2) this result by removing the assumption of the MAP.NEWLINENEWLINETheorem~2.2 is then used to prove that if either \(X^*\) or \(Y\) has the BCAP then \(\mathcal K(X,Y)\) is weakly sequentially complete if and only if \(X^*\) and \(Y\) are weakly sequentially complete and \(\mathcal W(X, Y) = \mathcal K(X, Y)\). This improves another result in [op. cit.] saying that the above holds under the stronger assumption that \(X^*\) or \(Y\) has the MAP.NEWLINENEWLINEThe author also proves that for reflexive Banach spaces \(X\) and \(Y\), \(\mathcal K(X,Y)\) is reflexive if and only if it is weakly sequentially complete. A list of examples of non-reflexive, weakly sequentially complete \(\mathcal K(X, Y)\) spaces is also provided.