We show that positive definite kernel functions k(x, y), if continuous and integrable along the main diagonal, coincide with kernels of positive integral operators in L2(R). Such an operator is shown to be compact; under the further assumption k(x, x) → 0 as |x| → ∞ it is also trace class and the corresponding bilinear series converges absolutely and uniformly. If k1/2(x, x) ∈ L1(R), all these ...