A new look at Korovkin's second theorem (Q910641)

By Korovkin's second theorem, a sequence of positive linear endomorphisms of the Banach lattice \({\mathcal C}(T)\) of all real-valued continuous functions on the torus group T is known to converge pointwise to the identity operator once its values for the three test functions \(f(\exp (it))=1\), sin(t), cos(t) are known to converge to the corresponding test function. The present paper discusses possible generalizations of this result obtained by replacing the torus by a compact abelian group. Its main result states that a finite universal Korovkin system exists for \({\mathcal C}(G)\), where G is a compact abelian group, iff G is metrizable and has finite covering dimension. In this case, there is a universal Korovkin system consisting of the function identically one, some generalized sine- and cosine-functions and at most three additional functions reflecting the group structure of G. Further on, the constant and some sine- resp. cosine-functions alone serve as a universal Korovkin system, iff G is a subgroup of a finite product of tori. The proof of the main result is given by a rather explicit construction; it is strongly related to the author's work on the existence of a finite universal Korovkin system in group algebras [Math. Z. 204, 451-464 (1990; Zbl 0682.22005)].