A remark on the retracting of a ball onto a sphere in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space. (Q3978142)

Let \((H,\|\cdot\|)\) be an infinite dimensional Hilbert space. We consider the problem of the existence of a lipschitzian retraction of a unit ball onto a unit sphere in \(H\). Let us formulate it more precisely. Let \(B=(x\in H: \| x\|\leq 1)\) be the closed unit ball and \(S=(x\in H\): \(\| x\|=1)\) be the unit sphere. The mapping \(R: B\to S\) is said to be a lipschitzian retraction of \(B\) onto \(S\) if: (1) \(R\) satisfies the Lipschitz condition i.e. \(\| Rx-Ry\|\leq k\| x-y\|\) for all \(x,y\in B\), (2) \(Rx=x\) for \(x\in S\). The problem of the existence of such a retraction in any normed space was considered in papers by \textit{B. Nowak} [Bull. Acad. Pol. Sci., Ser. Sci. Math. 27, 861-864 (1979; Zbl 0472.54008)] and \textit{Y. Benyamini} and \textit{Y. Sternfeld} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 88, 439-445 (1983; Zbl 0518.46010)] and a construction of one was given there. However it is fairly complicated. Below we present the much simpler construction of a Lipschitz retraction in any Hilbert space.