Banach algebras with symbol and singular integral operators. Transl. from the Russian by A. Iacob (Q1100710)

This book is a survey of recent researches on Banach algebras containing singular integral operators on a curve. The book is of high level and excellent for advanced researchers; however, it requires a fairly large amount of preliminary knowledge, and would not be easy for beginners to read. The English translation contains numerous misprints, and some of them would make readers considerably confused. In Chapter I some theorems are given under which a matrix operator \(A=[A_{jk}]^ n_{j,k=1}\) is Fredholm iff its determinant det A is, and also some conditions in order that furthermore the index of A and that of det A coincides are presented. The main topic of Chapter II is the exact bounds for the singular integral operator \[ (S_{\Gamma}\phi)(t)=(S\phi)(t)=\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{\Gamma}\frac{\phi (\tau)}{t-\tau}d\tau \] in the space \(L_ p(\Gamma,\rho)\) which is the \(L_ p\) space on \(\Gamma\) with some weight \(\rho\), where \(\Gamma\) is a Lyapunov contour in the complex plane. First, the operator S or \(aI+bS\) with constant coefficients a, b are treated. The case where a and b are piecewise continuous functions on \(\Gamma\) is discussed based on the results in the case of constant coefficients and with the aid of the results on operators of local type. The case where \(\Gamma\) is the unit circle or the whole real line is stated especially in detail. In Chapter III singular integral operators \(A=aP+bQ\) with \(n\times n\) matrix valued functions a, b as coefficients are considered, where \(P=(I+S)\) and \(Q=I-P\). When a and b are piecewise continuous functions, necessary and sufficient conditions in order that A is Fredholm is given in terms of a and b. Chapter IV is devoted to the study of algebras with symbols. A subalgebra \({\mathcal K}\) of the algebra \({\mathcal L}(E)\) of all bounded linear operators in a Banach space E is said to be an algebra with symbol if there exists a family \(\{\gamma_ M\}_{M\in \alpha}\) of multiplicative functionals on \({\mathcal K}\) such that \(A\in {\mathcal K}\) is a Fredholm operator iff \(\gamma_ M(A)\neq 0\) for any \(M\in \alpha\). The algebra generated by the Toeplitz operators with piecewise continuous coefficients is discussed in detail. In Chapter V it is shown that for the study of algebras generated by singular integral operators with piecewise continuous coefficients it is required to introduce matrix symbols. For that purpose an algebra with an n-symbol is defined letting \(\gamma_ M\) be a homomorphism \({\mathcal K}\to {\mathbb{C}}^{\ell \times \ell}\) with \(\ell =\ell (M)\leq n\) instead of a multiplicative functional on \({\mathcal K}\) and replacing \(\gamma_ M(A)\neq 0\) by det \(\gamma\) \({}_ M(A)\neq 0\) in the definition of a symbol. It is shown that an algebra of singular integral operators with Carleman shift has a 4-symbol. One of the main theorems of Chapter VI is a generalization of Gelfand's representation theorem of a commutative Banach algebra to certain non commutative algebras. In Chapter VII conditions for the existence of an n-symbol and the construction of such a symbol are given for certain classes of Banach algebras. The author also gives results on an exact order of the symbol as well as examples of algebras which have symbol and of those which do not. Finally, some open problems are presented.