Arens regularity of \(K(X)\) (Q1107064)

Let \(E\), \(X\) and \(A\) be, in order, a compact space, a reflexive Banach space and a Banach algebra. Denote by \(C(E,A)\) the Banach algebra of continuous functions \(\phi: E\to A\) equipped with the supremum norm and by \(K(X)\) the operator algebra consisting of compact linear operators \(u: X\to X\). Call a bounded bilinear operator \(m:A \times A\to A\) ``decomposable'' if there exist two sequences of continuous linear operators \((p_ n)\) and \((q_ n)\) on \(A\) such that \(\| m-S_ n\| \to 0\), where \(S_ n(a,b) = \sum^{n}_{i=1}p_ i(a)q_ i(b)\). In this note the following results are proved. a) Any decomposable bilinear operator \(m: K(X)\times K(X)\to K(X)\) is Arens regular. This result extends a result of \textit{N. Young} [Proc. Edinburgh Math. Soc., II. Ser. 20, 99-120 (1976; Zbl 0331.46042)]. b) If \(X\) has unconditional basis then any bounded bilinear operator \(m: K(X)\times KK(X)\to K(X)\) is Arens regular. c) If \(A\) is reflexive then any bounded bilinear operator \(m: C(E,A)\times C(E,A)\to C(E,A)\) is regular. This extends a result of the author [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 101, 697-704 (1987; Zbl 0635.46044)]. The proofs use the fact that the space \(C(E,X)\) has the Dieudonné property.