Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 November 2011
Let K be the class of all operators T in a Banach space × which have the property that, for any pair of integers (n, k) with n ≧2 and l≦ k ≦ n – l, there exists a constant Cnk such that
for all fϵdom Tn. If T ϵ K, then the best possible constant for the norm inequality (*) is the smallest non-negative value of the constant Cnk in (*). Any operator T which is the adjoint of a maximal symmetric operator in a Hilbert space belongs to the class K, as was shown by Ljubič [Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 24 (1960), 825–864].
This article is concerned with the computation of the best possible constant for the differentiation operator Tf=if′ on the maximal domain in L2(0, ∞). Three algorithms, proposed by Ljubič [ibid.] and Kupcov [Trudy Mat. Inst. Steklov. 138 (1975)], are discussed and related to one another, asymptotic expressions (valid for large n) and numerical values of the best possible constant are presented, and the extremals (i.e. the elements / ∈ dom Tn for which equality holds in (*) with the best possible constant) are given.