Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 May 2009
In the theory of spectral (and prespectral) operators in a Banach space or in a locally convex topological vector space the countable additivity (in some topology) of a resolution of the identity of the operator is a standing assumption. One might wonder why. Even if one cannot completely agree with the opinion of Diestel and Uhl ([6, p. 32]) stating that “countable additivity [of a set function] is often more of a hindrance than a help”, it might be interesting to study which portions of the theory of (pre)spectral operators and in which form extend to the more general situation described below.