Split Partial Isometries

A partial isometry V is said to be a split partial isometry if ${\mathcal{H}=R(V) + N(V)}$ , with R(V) ∩ N(V) = {0} (R(V) = range of V, N(V) = null-space of V). We study the topological properties of the set ${\mathcal{I}_0}$ of such partial isometries. Denote by ${\mathcal{I}}$ the set of all partial isometries of ${\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})}$ , and by ${\mathcal{I}_N}$ the set of normal partial isometries. Then $$\mathcal{I}_N\subset \mathcal{I}_0\subset \mathcal{I}, $$ and the inclusions are proper. It is known that ${\mathcal{I}}$ is a C ^∞-submanifold of ${\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})}$ . It is shown here that ${\mathcal{I}_0}$ is open in ${\mathcal{I}}$ , therefore is has also C ^∞-local structure. We characterize the set ${\mathcal{I}_0}$ , in terms of metric properties, existence of special pseudo-inverses, and a property of the spectrum and the resolvent of V. The connected components of ${\mathcal{I}_0}$ are characterized: ${V_0,V_1\in \mathcal{I}_0}$ lie in the same connected component if and only if $${\rm dim}\, R(V_0)= {\rm dim}\, R(V_1) \,\,{\rm and}\,\,\, {\rm dim}\, R(V_0)^\perp = {\rm dim}\, R(V_1)^\perp.$$ This result is known for normal partial isometries.