Computing subdifferential limits of operators on Banach spaces (Q6085011)

For real infinite-dimensional Banach spaces \(X,Y\) let \({\mathcal L}(X,Y)\) be the space of bounded linear operators. In the paper the author studies differentiability of the operator norm at \(A\in {\mathcal L}(X,Y)\) by estimating the limit (which always exists) \[ \lim_{t\to 0^+} \frac{\|A-tB\|-\|B\|}{t} \ \text{for} \ B\in {\mathcal L}(X,Y), \] using the values of \(B\) on the state space \(S_A=\{\tau\in {\mathcal L}(X,Y)^*: \tau(A) = \|A\|, \|\tau\|=1\}.\) As one of the main results it is proved that when the projective tensor product \(X\otimes _\pi Y\) has the Radon-Nikodym property, then for \(B\in {\mathcal L}(X,Y^*)\), \[ \lim_{t\to 0^+} \frac{\|A-tB\|-\|B\|}{t} = \sup\{x^{**}(B^*(y^*)): x^{**}\otimes_\pi y ^*\in S_A\}, \] when \(A\) is a point of norm-weak usc for the preduality map on \({\mathcal L}(X,Y^*)= (X\otimes _\pi Y)^*.\) Moreover, the author presents results on the behaviour of norm-weak usc points in M-ideals and apply them in the context of the Calkin space \({\mathcal L}(X,Y)/{\mathcal K}(X,Y).\) Further, the case when subdiffferentiable limit exists uniformly over the unit ball is considered. The paper also contains many examples of Banach spaces, like \(l^p\) spaces, \(1< p < \infty,\) or when \(X,Y\) are reflexive with the metric approximation property, where a more obvious estimate is possible under additional hypotheses on \(A.\)