An order theoretical characterization of the Fourier transform (Q801504)

Let G be a locally compact Abelian group and \({\mathcal F}: L^ 1(G)\to A(\hat G)\) the Fourier transform. Then \({\mathcal F}\) maps pointwise positive functions onto positive definite functions and positive definite functions onto pointwise positive functions; i.e. \({\mathcal F}\) is a ''biorder anti-isomorphism''. It is shown that these properties characterize the Fourier transform. More precisely, let \(G_ 1,G_ 2\) be arbitrary locally compact groups and let F be a biorder anti- isomorphism from \(L^ 1(G_ 1)\) onto the Fourier algebra \(A(G_ 2)\). Then \(G_ 1\) and \(G_ 2\) are Abelian groups, \(G_ 2\) is isomorphic to the dual group of \(G_ 1\) and F is the Fourier transform (up to canonical identifications). A similar result holds for the Fourier Stieltjes transform. The proofs are based on properties of order structures on A(G), B(G), \(L^ 1(G)\) and M(G): These four spaces carry a natural pointwise and a positive definite ordering so that each of them is a complete isomorphism invariant for the group G. A(G), B(G) and \(L^ 1(G)\) had been treated in the author's papers with \textit{J. de Cannière} [J. Funct. Anal. 50, 1-7 (1983; Zbl 0506.43001); Math. Ann. 263, 145-156 (1983; Zbl 0495.43003)]. In the present article the corresponding result for M(G) is proved.