Integral operators acting on continuous functions (Q1333057)

Let \(\Omega\) be a locally compact Hausdorff space and \(\mu\) a \(\sigma\)- finite positive regular Borel measure on \(\Omega\) such that \(\mu(U)> 0\) for each nonempty open \(U\subseteq \Omega\). Let \(C= C(\Omega)\) be the Banach space of all complex valued continuous functions on \(\Omega\) such that \(\| f\|= \sup_{x\in \Omega} | f(x)|< \infty\). For a measurable kernel \(k(x, t)\) on \(\Omega\times \Omega\) let \(K\) be the integral operator on \(C\) defined by \(K(f)(x)= \int_ \Omega k(x, t) f(t) d\mu(t)\). The author studies the class \(\mathcal A\) of kernels satisfying: \(\tau(k)= \sup_{x\in \Omega} \int_ \Omega | k(x, t)| d\mu(t)< \infty\), and \(K(f)\in C\) whenever \(f\in C\). It is shown that \(({\mathcal A}, \tau)\) is a Banach algebra with the convolution product \[ (k* j)(x, t)= \int_ \Omega k(x, z) j(z, t)d\mu(z) \] and that \(\tau(k)= \| K\|\) (the operator norm). \(K\) can also be considered as an operator on \(L^ \infty= L^ \infty(\Omega, \mu)\) and it is shown that compactness of \(K\) on \(C\) is equivalent to its compactness on \(L^ \infty\). Under the further assumption of \(\sigma\)-compactness of \(\Omega\) it is shown that if \(K\) is compact on \(C\) (or on \(L^ \infty\)) then \(K(L^ \infty)\subseteq C\). Finally, the spectral and Fredholm theory of the Banach algebra \(\mathcal A\) is developed and the results are expressed in terms of the spectral and Fredholm properties of the operator \(K\) acting on \(C\) or on \(L^ \infty\). Examples are given in which various choices of \(\Omega\) and \(\mu\) yield well known operators such as Cesàro operators, or infinite matrix operators on sequence spaces.