A Course on Function Spaces I: Spaces of continuous and integrable functions

This textbook is the first of a two-part set providing a thorough-yet-accessible introduction to the subject of function spaces. In this first volume, spaces of continuous and integrable functions are covered in detail.

Starting from the familiar notions of continuous and smooth functions, the volume gradually progresses to advanced aspects of Lebesgue spaces and their relatives. Key aspects such as basic functional analytic properties, weak convergence and compactness are covered in detail, concluding with an introduction to the fundamentals of real and harmonic analysis. Throughout, the authors provide helpful motivation for the underlying concepts, which they illustrate with selected applications, demonstrating the relevance and practical use of function spaces.

Designed with the student in mind, this self-contained volume offers multiple syllabi, guiding readers from elementary properties to advanced topics. Visual learners will appreciate the inclusion of figures summarising key outcomes, proof strategies, and 'metaprinciples'. Assuming only multivariable calculus and elementary functional analysis, as conveniently summarised in the first chapters, this volume is designed for lecture courses at the graduate level and will also be a valuable companion for young researchers in analysis.

1 Introduction.- 2 Preliminaries I – Calculus and measure theory.- 3 Preliminaries II – Functional analysis.- 4 Spaces of continuous functions.- 5 L?-spaces.- 6 Basics from real and harmonic analysis.

Dominic Breit is Chair of Mathematical Modelling at the Institute of Mathematics of the Clausthal University of Technology. His research interests range from pure topics such as Sobolev spaces, regularity theory for nonlinear PDEs and the calculus of variations, to applications in fluid mechanics.

Franz Gmeineder holds the tenure-track to full professorship 'Theory of PDEs' at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Konstanz. His research interests include pure topics from real analysis, function spaces and regularity theory in the calculus of variations, and their interaction in applications.