Cosine subtraction laws (Q6185258)

Let \(S\) be a topological semigroup equipped with an involution \(x\mapsto x^*\) that is either homomorphic or anti-homomorphic. The author solves the cosine subtraction functional equation \(g(xy^*) = g(x)g(y) + f (x)f (y),\,\, x, y \in S\) for unknown functions \(f\) and \(g\) in the algebra of continuous functions mapping from \(S\) into \(\mathbb{C}\) under the condition that \(g\) is central and that \(S\) is a group generated by its squares (with the assumption that \(x^*=x^{-1}\)). The author also presents a new proof for the solution of the generalized cosine subtraction law \(g(x\sigma(y)) = g(x)g(y) + f (x)f (y),\,\, x, y \in S\) , where \(\sigma: S \to S\) is a homomorphic involution. The automorphic variant of the last functional equation was already given by the author and \textit{H. Stetkær} [Aequationes Math. 89, No. 1, 187--206 (2015; Zbl 1316.39006)] when \(S\) is a monoid generated by its squares.