Spectral theorem, how to show spectral measure has no atoms

414 Views Asked by At

This is from Peter Walters' An Introduction to Ergodic Theory. He quotes the "Spectral Theorem for Unitary Operators" which I understand:

If $U$ is a unitary operator on a complex Hilbert space $H$, then for each $f \in H$ there is a unique finite Borel measure $\mu_f$ on the circle $K=\{|z|=1\}\subseteq \mathbb{C}$ such that $$ \langle U^n f, f\rangle = \int_K \lambda^n \mu_f(d\lambda),\qquad \forall n \in \mathbb{Z}. $$

But he also remarks that if $T$ is measure preserving with measure preserving inverse then $U_Tf:= f \circ T$ is a unitary operator on $L^2$. Further (and this is the part I don't understand) if $1$ is the only eigenvalue of $U_T$ with constants the only eigenvectors and $\langle f,1\rangle = 0$, then $\mu_f$ has no atoms. I don't see how to show this. Clearly I can take $n=0$ and the hypotheses tell me $\mu_f(K) = 0$ but I don't see much else that can be said from this. Can I construct a non-constant eigenvector if I knew $\mu_f\{x\}>0$ for some $x$?