A unified approach to the topological centre problem for certain Banach algebras arising in abstract harmonic analysis (Q1881522)

The topological centre of the Banach algebras \(L_1(G)^{\ast \ast}\) and \(LUC(G)^\ast\), with \(G\) a locally compact group, have long been known to be as small as possible, i. e., \(Z_t(L_1(G)^{\ast\ast})=L_1(G)\) and \(Z_t(LUC(G)^\ast)=M(G)\), the measure algebra of \(G\). These facts were originally proved in full generality by \textit{A. T.-M. Lau} and \textit{V. Losert} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 37, 464--470 (1988; Zbl 0608.43002)] and \textit{A. T.-M. Lau} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 99, 273--283 (1986; Zbl 0591.43003)]. A common direct approach to both topological centre theorems is provided in this paper through representing \(LUC(G)^\ast\) in the space of bounded (multiplication) operators on \(L_\infty(G)\). The essential tool for both theorems consists in a factorization theorem for bounded nets contained in \(L_\infty(G)\) due to the author [J. Funct. Anal. 217, 171--180 (2004)] (note that the topological centre of \( L_1(G)^{\ast \ast}\) consists of those functionals \(m\) such that multiplication by \(m\) is \(w^\ast-w^\ast\)-continuous). Since this factorization theorem is only valid for nets of prescribed cardinality (namely, of cardinality not greater than \(\kappa(G)\), the compact-covering number of \(G\)) another device due to the author (that \(L^1(G)\) enjoys Mazur's property of level \(\kappa(G) \cdot \aleph_0\), see the paper for details) is applied to show that it is indeed sufficient to take care of these nets.