Invariant subspaces and thin sets (Q1173647)

In this expository note, the author describes earlier results of his relating the existence of compact operators in a reflexive operator algebra with commutative subspace lattice to the theory of `` thin sets'' in harmonic analysis. In particular, if, for a compact abelian group \(G\) with Haar measure \(dg\) and closed partial order \(\leq\), the operator algebra \(\text{Alg}(G,\leq,dg)\) contains a nonzero compact operator, then the graph of \(\leq\) is a set of multiplicity in the group \(G\times G\), i.e., there exist nonzero Fourier series which vanish on its complement. Details appear in J. Funct. Anal. 81, No. 1, 1-37 (1988; Zbl 0681.47019).