In mathematics, multipliers and centralizers are algebraic objects in the study of Banach spaces. They are used, for example, in generalizations of the BanachâÂÂStone theorem.
Let (X, âÂÂ÷âÂÂ) be a Banach space over a field K (either the real or complex numbers), and let Ext(X) be the set of extreme points of the closed unit ball of the continuous dual space X<sup>âÂÂ</sup>.
A continuous linear operator T : X â X is said to be a multiplier if every point p in Ext(X) is an eigenvector for the adjoint operator T<sup>âÂÂ</sup> : X<sup>âÂÂ</sup> â X<sup>âÂÂ</sup>. That is, there exists a function a<sub>T</sub> : Ext(X) â K such that
making the eigenvalue corresponding to p. Given two multipliers S and T on X, S is said to be an adjoint for T if
i.e. a<sub>S</sub> agrees with a<sub>T</sub> in the real case, and with the complex conjugate of a<sub>T</sub> in the complex case.
The centralizer (or commutant) of X, denoted Z(X), is the set of all multipliers on X for which an adjoint exists.