A best proximity point theorem for weakly contractive non-self-mappings (Q550235)

Let \(A,B\) be nonempty subsets of a metric space \((X,d)\). A mapping \(T:A\to B\) is called weakly contractive if there exists a continuous nondecreasing function \(\psi:[0,\infty)\to[0,\infty)\) with \(\psi(0)=0,\;\psi(t)>0,\;t>0,\) and \( \lim_{t\to\infty}\psi(t)=0\), such that \( d(x,y)\leq d(x,y)-\psi(d(x,y))\) for all \((x,y)\in A\times B\). If \(B=A\) and \(\psi(t)=(1-k)t\) for some \(0<k<1\), then \(T\) is a \(k\)-contraction on \(A\). It was proved by \textit{Y.\,Alber} and \textit{S.\,Guerre-Delabriere} [Oper.\ Theory, Adv.\ Appl.\ 98, 7--22 (1997; Zbl 0897.47044)] that, if \(Y\) is a closed convex set of a Hilbert space, then every weakly contractive mapping \(T:Y\to Y\) has a unique fixed point. The result was extended by \textit{B.\,E.\thinspace Rhoades} [Nonlinear Anal., Theory Methods Appl.\ 47, No.\,4, 2683--2693 (2001; Zbl 1042.47521)] to weakly contractive mappings on an arbitrary complete metric space \((X,d)\). The author extends the above result of Rhoades to weakly contractive mappings \(T:A\to B\). A~best proximity point for \(T\) is a point \(x^*\in A\) such that \(d(x^*,Tx^*)=d(A,B) \; (=\inf\{d(x,y) : x\in A,\;y\in B\})\). Recall that \textit{Ky Fan} [Math.\ Z.\ 112, 234--240 (1969; Zbl 0185.39503)] proved that, if \(A\) is a nonempty compact convex subset of a normed space \(X\), then for every continuous mapping \(T:A\to X\) there exists \(x\in A\) such that \(\|x-Tx\|=d(Tx,A)\; (=\inf\{\|Tx-a\| : a\in A\})\). One says that the pair \(A,B\) of sets has the property \(P\) if \(d(x_1,y_1)=d(x_2,y_2)=d(A,B)\) implies \(d(x_1,x_2)=d(y_1,y_2) \) for all \(x_1,x_2\in A\) and \(y_1,y_2\in B\). Denote \(A_0=\{x\in A : \exists y\in B,\;d(x,y)=d(A,B)\}\) and \(B_0=\{y\in B : \exists x\in A,\;d(x,y)=d(A,B)\}\). The main result of the paper (Theorem 3.1) asserts that, if \(A,B\) are subsets of a complete metric space \((X,d)\) satisfying the property \(P\) and such that \(A_0\neq\emptyset\), then for every weakly contractive mapping \(T:A\to B\) satisfying \(T(A_0)\subset B_0\) there exists a unique point \(x^*\in A\) such that \(d(x^*,Tx^*)=d(A,B)\).