On tensor products of Fourier algebras (Q1072044)

For a locally compact group \(G\) let \(A(G)\) denote its Fourier algebra. If \(u_1\in A(G_1)\), \(u_2\in A(G_2)\), the function \((x_1,x_2) \mapsto u(x_1,x_2) = u_1(x_1)u_2(x_2)\) is in \(A(G_1\times G_2)\). This induces a linear map \(F : A(G_1)\hat\otimes A(G_2)\to A(G_1\times G_2)\) where \(\hat\otimes\) denotes the projective tensor product. If \(G_1\) and \(G_2\) are abelian, by a well known result on \(L^1\)-spaces \(F\) is an isometric isomorphism. For general \(G_1\) and \(G_2\), the main result of this paper is that the following are equivalent: \begin{itemize} \item[(i)] \(F\) is a linear isomorphism (not necessarily norm-preserving), \item[(ii)] \(F\) is surjective, \item[(iii)] \(G_1\) or \(G_2\) has an abelian subgroup of finite index. \end{itemize} The following result of \textit{P. Nouyrigat} [Publ. Dép. Math., Lyon 9, No.2, 31--59 (1973)] is proved, too: \(F\) is an isometry if and only if \(G_1\) or \(G_2\) is abelian.