Bourgain algebras of the disk, polydisk, and ball algebras (Q1196395)

Let \(Y\) be a commutative Banach algebra with an identity and let \(X\) be a closed subspace of \(Y\). The Bourgain algebra of \(X\) with respect to \(Y\), denoted by \(X_ b:= (X,Y)_ b\), is the set of all \(f\) in \(Y\) such that \(\| ff_ n+ X\|\to\infty\) as \(f_ n\to 0\) weakly in \(X\). \textit{J. A. Cima} and \textit{R. M. Timoney} [Mich. Math. J. 34, 99-104 (1987; Zbl 0617.46058)] showed that \(X_ b\) is a closed subalgebra of \(Y\). One of the major results of this interesting paper is a description of the Bourgain algebra of the polydisk algebras and ball algebras \(A(T^ n)\) and \(A(S^ n)\) with respect to \(L^ \infty(T^ n)\) (resp. \(L^ \infty(S^ n))\) in terms of the local oscillations of functions in \(L^ \infty\) \((n\geq 1)\). Moreover, it is shown that \(H^ \infty(S^ n)_ b= H^ \infty(S^ n)+ C(S^ n)\), whereas \(H^ \infty(T^ n)_ b= H^ \infty(T^ n)\) \((n\geq 2)\), a quite astonishing fact. Also, an explicit representation of \(({\mathcal C},C(X))_ b\) is given, where \(\mathcal C\) is an arbitrary \(C^*\)- subalgebra of \(C(X)\). Finally, the author studies Bourgain algebras of \(L^ \infty(m)\), where \(m\) is a nonatomic probability measure on the Shilov boundary of a given uniform algebra \(A\).