The operator algebra generated by the translation, dilation and multiplication semigroups (Q499603)

The unitary semigroups \(\{D_\mu\}_{\mu\geq 0}\), \(\{M_\lambda\}_{\lambda\geq0}\), and \(\{V_t\}_{t\geq 0}\), where \((D_\mu f)(x)=f(x-\mu)\), \((M_\lambda f)(x)=e^{\mathrm{i}\lambda x}f(x)\), and \((V_tf)(x)=e^{t/2}f(e^t x)\) for all \(f\in L^2({\mathbb R})\), generate a weakly closed non-self-adjoint algebra of bounded linear operators on \(L^2({\mathbb R})\), which is denoted by \({\mathcal A}_{\mathrm{ph}}\) for good reasons, as explained in the interesting paper under review. One of the main results obtained in this paper is that \({\mathcal A}_{\mathrm{ph}}\) is a reflexive operator algebra which coincides with the set of all operators on \(L^2({\mathbb R})\) that leave invariant the union of two complete nests of closed subspaces \[ \{0\}\cup \{L^2(-\alpha,\infty)\mid \alpha\geq 0\}\cup\{e^{\mathrm{i}\beta x}H^2({\mathbb R})\}\cup\{L^2({\mathbb R})\}, \] where \(H^2({\mathbb R})\) is the Hardy space for the upper half-plane. Moreover, if \(T\in {\mathcal A}_{\mathrm{ph}}\), then \(T^*\in {\mathcal A}_{\mathrm{ph}}\) if and only if \(T\) is a scalar multiple of the identity operator. The authors also establish several other striking properties of \({\mathcal A}_{\mathrm{ph}}\) as, for instance, that its unitary automorphism group is the 1-parameter group consisting of the automorphisms of the form \(X\mapsto V_tXV_t^*\) with \(t\in{\mathbb R}\).