In mathematics, the Littlewood subordination theorem, proved by J. E. Littlewood in 1925, is a theorem in operator theory and complex analysis. It states that any holomorphic univalent self-mapping of the unit disk in the complex numbers that fixes 0 induces a contractive composition operator on various function spaces of holomorphic functions on the disk. These spaces include the Hardy spaces, the Bergman spaces and Dirichlet space.
Subordination theorem
Let h be a holomorphic univalent mapping of the unit disk D into itself such that h(0) = 0. Then the composition operator Ch defined on holomorphic functions f on D by
defines a linear operator with operator norm less than 1 on the Hardy spaces , the Bergman spaces . (1 ≤ p < ∞) and the Dirichlet space .
The norms on these spaces are defined by:
Littlewood's inequalities
Let f be a holomorphic function on the unit disk D and let h be a holomorphic univalent mapping of D into itself with h(0) = 0. Then if 0 < r < 1 and 1 ≤ p < ∞
This inequality also holds for 0 < p < 1, although in this case there is no operator interpretation.
Proofs
Case p = 2
To prove the result for H it suffices to show that for f a polynomial
Let U be the unilateral shift defined by
This has adjoint U* given by
Since f(0) = a0, this gives
and hence
Thus
Since U*f has degree less than f, it follows by induction that
and hence
The same method of proof works for A and
General Hardy spaces
If f is in Hardy space H, then it has a factorization
with fi an inner function and fo an outer function.
Then
Inequalities
Taking 0 < r < 1, Littlewood's inequalities follow by applying the Hardy space inequalities to the function
The inequalities can also be deduced, following Riesz (1925), using subharmonic functions. The inequaties in turn immediately imply the subordination theorem for general Bergman spaces.
Notes
- Nikolski 2002, pp. 56–57
- Nikolski 2002, p. 57
- Duren 1970
- Shapiro 1993, p. 19
References
- Duren, P. L. (1970), Theory of H spaces, Pure and Applied Mathematics, vol. 38, Academic Press
- Littlewood, J. E. (1925), "On inequalities in the theory of functions", Proc. London Math. Soc., 23: 481–519, doi:10.1112/plms/s2-23.1.481
- Nikolski, N. K. (2002), Operators, functions, and systems: an easy reading. Vol. 1. Hardy, Hankel, and Toeplitz, Mathematical Surveys and Monographs, vol. 92, American Mathematical Society, ISBN 0-8218-1083-9
- Riesz, F. (1925), "Sur une inégalite de M. Littlewood dans la théorie des fonctions", Proc. London Math. Soc., 23: 36–39, doi:10.1112/plms/s2-23.1.1-s
- Shapiro, J. H. (1993), Composition operators and classical function theory, Universitext: Tracts in Mathematics, Springer-Verlag, ISBN 0-387-94067-7