Applications of the theory of semi-embeddings to Banach space theory

Let X and Y be Banach spaces and T:X → Y an injective bounded linear operator. T is called a semi-embedding if T maps the closed unit ball of X to a closed subset of Y. (This concept was introduced by Lotz, Peck, and Porta, Proc. Edinburgh Math. Soc.22 (1979), 233–240.) It is proved that if X semi-embeds in Y, and X is separable, then X has the Radon-Nikodym property provided Y does. It is shown that if L¹ semi-embeds in Y, then Y fails the Schur property and contains a subspace isomorphic to l¹. As a consequence of the proof, it is shown that if X is a subspace of L¹, either L¹ embeds in X or l¹ embeds in $\text{L}{}^1\text{X}$. The simpler result that L¹ does not semi-embed in c₀ is treated separately. This result is used to deduce the classic result of Menchoff that there exists a singular probability measure on the circle with Fourier coefficients vanishing at infinity. Some generalizations of the notion of semi-embedding are given, and several complements and open questions are discussed.