TITLE: Is "Convolution operator" well-defined and injective?
QUESTION [7 upvotes]: Problem: Let $g_t(x)=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{ \frac{- (x-t)^2}{2}}$ be the Gaussian function centered at $t\in \mathbb R$. Let $I$ be a subset of $\mathbb R$. Consider the "convolution operator"
\begin{align}
\mathcal A: L^1(I) & \longrightarrow L^2(I)\\
f & \longmapsto \left(x\longmapsto  \int_{I} g_t(x)f(t) dt \right).
\end{align}
How can I prove (or disprove) that the operator is well-defined and injective?

My attempts: Here are some of my attempts to prove the well-defined property.

I have tried to use Cauchy inequality but with no success:
\begin{align}
\int_{I} \left( \int_{I} g_t(x)f(t)dt\right)^2 dx \leq \int_{I} \int_{I} g_t^2(x)dx dt \int_{I}f^2(t)dt.
\end{align}
as the right-hand-side may be infinite as $f$ does not belong to $L^2(I)$.

I have tried to use the boundedness of Gaussian function but nothing better. We have
\begin{align}
\int_{I} \left( \int_{I} g_t(x)f(t)dt\right)^2 dx \leq
M \left( \int_{I} f(t)dt \right)^2 \int_I dx.
\end{align}
and the right-hand-side may be infinite as $I$ is unbounded.

REPLY [2 votes]: I'm going to unclutter the situation and leave out some constants. If it works in the simplified case, you can throw constants at it later.
Suppose $f\in L^1(\mathbb R)$ and $g(t) = e^{-t^2}.$ For $x\in \mathbb R,$ define
$$(g*f)(x) = \int_{\mathbb R}g(x-t)f(t)\,dt.$$
That is certainly well defined for any $x,$ since $g\in L^\infty.$ To show $g*f\in L^2,$ note
$$|g*f(x)|^2 \le (\int_{\mathbb R}g(x-t)|f(t)|\,dt)^2$$ $$ = \|f\|_1^2(\int_{\mathbb R}(g(x-t)(|f(t)|/\|f\|_1)\,dt)^2.$$
Use Jensen to see the last expression is bounded above by
$$\|f\|_1^2\int_{\mathbb R}(g(x-t))^2(|f(t)|/\|f\|_1)\,dt.$$
Thus, using Fubini, we have
$$\int |g*f(x)|^2\,dx \le \|f\|_1^2 \int g(x)^2\,dx.$$
This proves $\|g*f\|_2 \le \|f\|_1\|g\|_2.$ Thus $f\to g*f$ is a bounded linear operator from $L^1$ to $L^2.$
For injectivity, I'll use some Fourier analysis. Let $F$ denote the Fourier transform. Then $F$ is an isometry on $L^2,$ and is injective on $L^1.$ Thus $g*f$ is the zero function iff $F(g*f)$ is the zero function. Now
$$F(g*f)(x) =F(g)(x)\cdot F(f)(x).$$
And as is well known, $F(g)>0$ everywhere. (In fact for the Gaussian $g,$ $F(g)$ is essentially $g,$ meaning $F(g)(x)= ag(bx)$ for some nonzero constants $a,b.$) Thus $F(g*f)=0$ iff $F(f)=0.$ And the later happens iff $f=0.$ It follow that $f\to g*f$ is injective.