Characterizations of open multivalued linear operators

Abstract

The class of all open linear relations is characterised in terms of the re- strictions of the linear relations to finite-codimensional subspaces. As an application, we establish two results, the first of which shows that an upper semi-Fredholm linear relation retains its index under finite rank perturbations, and the second is a density theorem for lower bounded linear relations that have closed range. Results of Labuschagne and of Mbekhta about linear operators are covered.