Weighted group algebras on groups of polynomial growth (Q1434526)

Let \(A\) be a Banach *-algebra. Then \(A\) is called symmetric if every selfadjoint element of \(A\) has a real spectrum, and \(A\) is said to have the Wiener property if each proper closed ideal of \(A\) is contained in the kernel of a topologically irreducible *-representation of \(A\). Both of these properties have been studied extensively for the group algebra \(L^1(G)\) of a locally compact group \(G\). For instance, \(L^1(G)\) turned out to be symmetric and have the Wiener property if either \(G\) is a compact extension of a nilpotent group [\textit{J. Ludwig}, J. Funct. Anal. 31, 187--194 (1979; Zbl 0402.22003)] or \(G\) is a compactly generated group of polynomial growth [\textit{V. Losert}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 63, No. 3, 640--654 (2001; Zbl 1010.22008)]. Now, let \(\omega\) be a weight function on \(G\), that is, an upper semi-continuous function \(\omega:G\to [1,\infty)\) which is bounded on compact subsets of \(G\) and satisfies \(\omega(xy) \leq\omega(x)\omega(y)\) and \(\omega(x^{-1})=\omega(x)\) for all \(x,y\in G\). The weighted group algebra \(L^1 (G,\omega)\) consists of all functions \(f\) on \(G\) such that \(f\omega\) is integrable with respect to Haar measure. With the usual convolution and involution and the norm \(\| f\|=\int_G| f(x)| \omega(x)dx\), \(L^1(G,\omega)\) becomes a Banach *-algebra. Regarding symmetry and the Wiener property, only a few results are known for \(L^1(G,\omega)\). In the paper under review, the authors investigate symmetry and the Wiener property for \(L^1(G,\omega)\) when \(G\) is a compactly generated group of polynomial growth. Recall that a compactly generated locally compact group \(G\) is said to have polynomial growth if there exist a compact symmetric neighbourhood of the identity and constants \(c>0\) and \(N\in\mathbb{N}\) such that \(| U^k|\leq ck^N\) for all \(k\in\mathbb{N}\). They define \(\omega\) to satisfy condition \((S)\) if \(\lim_{k \to\infty} (\sup\{\omega(x):x\in U^k\})^{1/k}=1\). Note that \((S)\) is stronger than the condition that the rate of growth of \(\omega\) be one, that is, \(\lim_{k \to\infty}\omega(x^k)^{1/k}=1\) for all \(x\in G\). A first main result of the paper says that if \(G\) is a compactly generated group of polynomial growth and \(\omega\) satisfies \((S)\), then \(L^1(G,\omega)\) is symmetric (Theorem 3.13). There is a partial converse stating that under some additional hypotheses, condition \((S)\) is necessary for \(L^1(G,\omega)\) to be symmetric (Theorem 3.18). The authors call a weight \(\omega\) sub-exponential if there exist constants \(c>0\) and \(0< \alpha <1\) such that \(\omega(x)\leq\exp [c(\inf\{k\in\mathbb{N}:x\in U^k\})^\alpha]\). Apparently, this condition is stronger than \((S)\). A third very interesting and difficult result is Theorem 5.6: If \(G\) is as before and \(\omega\) is a sub-exponential weight on \(G\), then \(L^1 (G,\omega)\) has the Wiener property. In this context, it is worth pointing out that if \(G\) is a locally compact group with relatively compact conjugacy classes and \(\omega\) is a non-quasianalytic weight on \(G\), then \(L^1(G,\omega)\) has the Wiener property [\textit{W. Hauenschild}, \textit{E. Kaniuth} and \textit{A. Kumar}, J. Funct. Anal. 51, 213--228 (1983; Zbl 0529.43005)]. The proofs of all three main theorems mentioned above are fairly intricate and involve a number of tools from earlier papers and facts about weights. In particular, to establish Theorem 5.6, a functional calculus for a total set in \(L^1(G,\omega)\) is developed.