Harmonic functions on groups and Fourier algebras (Q1604584)

Let \(G\) be a locally compact group and \(\sigma\) a complex regular Borel measure on \(G\). A bounded Borel function \(f:G\to\mathbb{C}\) is called \(\sigma\)-harmonic if it satisfies the convolution equation \(\sigma*f=f\). Harmonic functions on groups have been studied for a long time and play important roles in analysis, geometry and probability theory. A standard hypothesis in this context is that \(\sigma\) be adapted, that is, the support of \(\sigma\) generates a dense subgroup of \(G\). Emanating from the classical Choquet-Deny theorem for abelian groups, many of the existing results concern the case of a probability measure \(\sigma\), and aim at showing that, for various classes of non-abelian locally compact groups, harmonic functions are constant. After a brief introduction to such results, in the first half of the monograph the authors study in a systematic way the space of complex \(\sigma\)-harmonic functions via the duality between \(L^1(G)\) and \(L^\infty(G)\), for general locally compact groups \(G\) and complex (adapted) measures \(\sigma\). Denoting by \(J_\sigma\) the norm-closure in \(L^1(G)\) of all functions \(\sigma*f-f\), \(f\in L^1 (G)\), the annihilator \(J_\sigma^\perp\) in \(L^\infty(G)\) is just the space of \(\sigma\)-harmonic functions. Fixing an extreme point \(u\) of the unit ball of \(J^\perp_\sigma\), the space \(J^\perp_\sigma\) turns out to be an abelian von Neumann algebra, the product and the involution being defined in terms of \(u\) and a contractive projection \(P_\sigma:L^\infty (G)\to J^\perp_\sigma\). Under the hypothesis that \(J^\perp_\sigma\) is translation invariant (equivalently, \(J_\sigma\) is a two-sided ideal of \(L^1(G))\) and that, in addition, the identity \(u\) is a character of \(G\), a variety of results are obtained on \(J^\perp_\sigma\), the subspace of almost periodic functions in \(J^\perp_\sigma\) and the Poisson space \(\prod_\sigma\), which is the spectrum of the \(C^*\)-algebra \(J^\perp_\sigma\cap C_{lu}(G)\), the subspace of left uniformly continuous functions in \(J^\perp_\sigma\). In particular, the semigroup structure of \(\prod_\sigma\) is studied in detail. There is a non-commutative analogue of harmonic functions in the context of Fourier algebra and von Neumann algebras, arising from the duality between \(A(G)\), the Fourier algebra of a locally compact group \(G\), and the group von Neumann algebra \(VN(G)\). Let \(\sigma\in B(G)\), the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra of \(G\), and let \(I_\sigma\) denote the norm-closure of all functions \(\sigma\varphi-\varphi\), \(\varphi\in A(G)\). Then \(I_\sigma\) is a closed ideal of \(A(G)\) and its annihilator \(I^\perp_\sigma\) in \(VN(G)\) is the set of all \(T\in VN(G)\) such that \(\sigma\cdot T=T\). These elements of \(VN(G)\) are called the \(\sigma\)-harmonic functionals on \(A(G)\). If \(\sigma\) has norm one, then there exists a contractive projection \(P_\sigma: VN(G)\to I_\sigma^\perp\). In contrast to \(J_\sigma^\perp\), the space \(I^\perp_\sigma\) need not form a \(C^*\)-algebra, but \(P_\sigma\) induces a Jordan algebraic structure on \(I^\perp_\sigma\). One of the main purposes of the second half of this Lecture Notes volume is a thorough study of this Jordan structure. In particular, the question of when \(I^\perp_\sigma\) is a Jordan subtriple of \(VN(G)\) is investigated. Moreover, necessary and sufficient conditions are given for that \(A(G)/I_\sigma\) is isometrically isomorphic to the Fourier algebra of some locally compact group. Most of the results presented are new and the monograph will doubtless initiate further research in the area.