Existence, uniqueness and approximation of a solution for a k-positive definite operator equation (Q4711237)

Let \(H_1\) be a dense subspace of a Hilbert space, \(H\). An operator \(T\) with domain \(D(T)\supseteq H_1\) is called continuously \(H_1\)- invertible if the range of \(T\), \(R(T)\), with \(T\) considered as an operator restricted to \(H_1\), is dense in \(H\) and \(T\) has a bounded inverse on \(R(T)\). Suppose \(H\) is a complex and separable Hilbert space and \(A\) is a linear unbounded operator defined on a dense domain \(D(A)\) in \(H\) with the property that there exist a continuously \(D(A)\)- invertible closed linear operator \(K\) with \(D(A)\subseteq D(K)\), and a constant \(c>0\) such that \[ \langle Au,Ku\rangle\geq c\| Ku\|^2,\qquad u\in D(A). \tag{1} \] Then \(A\) is called \(K\)-positive definite (Kpd) [\textit{W. V. Petryshyn}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 105, 136--175 (1962; Zbl 0106.09301)]. If \(K=I\) (the identity operator) inequality (1) reduces to \(\langle Au,u\rangle\geq c\| u\|^ 2\), and in this case, \(A\) is called positive definite. It is clear that the class of Kpd operators contains, among others, the class of positive definite operators, and also contains the class of invertible operators (when \(K=A\)) as its subclasses. Furthermore, for a proper choice of \(K\), the ordinary differential operators of odd order, the weakly elliptic partial differential operators of odd order, and others, are members of the class of Kpd operators. Moreover, if the operators are bounded, the class of Kpd operators form a subclass of symmetrizable operators studied by \textit{W. T. Reid} [Duke Math. J. 18, 41--56 (1951; Zbl 0042.36002)]. In the paper under review the notion of a \(K\)-positive definite (Kpd) operator which has been studied for Hilbert spaces is extended to real separable strictly convex Banach spaces, \(X\). For such an \(X\), it is proved that the equation \(Au=f\), \(f\in X\), where \(A\) is a Kpd operator with the same domain as \(K\), has a unique solution. Furthermore, a strongle convergent iteration process is constructed.