Approximable \(\mathcal {WAP}\)- and \(\mathcal {LUC}\)-interpolation sets (Q1931836)

In harmonic analysis, interpolation sets have been studied for a long time. It is well known that a subset \(S\) of a discrete Abelian group \(G\) is a Sidon set if and only if for every bounded function \(f\) on \(S\) there is a measure \(\mu\) on the compact dual group such that \(f (x) = \hat \mu (x)\) for every \(x \in S\); in other words, \(B (G)\) being the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra of \(G\), \(f : S \to {\mathbb C}\) extends to a function \(\tilde f \in B (G)\). In 1964, \textit{S. Hartman} and \textit{C. Ryll-Nardzewski} [Colloq. Math. 12, 23--39 (1964; Zbl 0145.32101)] introduced the notion of an \(I_0\)-set \(S\): each bounded function \(f : S \to {\mathbb C}\) can be extended to an almost periodic function. Later, \textit{W. Ruppert} [Semigroup Forum 32, 267--281 (1985; Zbl 0569.22001)] and \textit{C. Chou} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 321, No. 1, 333--346 (1990; Zbl 0726.43005)] characterized subsets \(S\) of discrete Abelian groups \(G\) for which every bounded function \(f : S \to {\mathbb C}\) can be extended to a weakly almost periodic function. In this paper, the authors extend and unify these notions and the corresponding results. If \(G\) is a topological group and \({\mathcal A} (G)\) is a subalgebra of \(\ell_\infty (G)\), they say that a subset \(S\) of \(G\) is an \({\mathcal A} (G)\)-interpolation set if every bounded function \(f : S \to {\mathbb C}\) can be extended to a function \(\tilde f \in {\mathcal A} (G)\). The authors are concerned with the following algebras: \({\mathcal C B} (G)\), the algebra of bounded continuous functions \(f : G \to {\mathbb C}\); \({\mathcal C}_0 (G)\), the algebra of continuous functions vanishing at infinity; \({\mathcal LUC} (G)\) consisting of left uniformly continuous functions; \({\mathcal AP} (G)\), the algebra of almost periodic functions; \({\mathcal WAP} (G)\) consisting of weakly almost periodic functions; \({\mathcal WAP}_0 (G) = \{ f \in {\mathcal WAP} (G) \, ; \;\mu (|f|) = 0 \}\), where \(\mu\) is the unique invariant mean on \({\mathcal WAP} (G)\); and also the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra \(B (G)\) and its uniform closure \({\mathcal B} (G)\). They also introduce the notion of an approximable \({\mathcal A} (G)\)-interpolation set to tackle the phenomenon proved by \textit{S. Drury} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. A 271, 162--163 (1970; Zbl 0194.42804)] for Sidon subsets \(S\) of Abelian discrete groups \(G\): the characteristic function of \(S\) can be uniformly approximated by elements of \(B (G)\), i.e. belongs to \({\mathcal B} (G)\). One goal of the paper is to study whether \({\mathcal A} (G)\)-interpolation sets are actually approximable \({\mathcal A} (G)\)-interpolation sets. This is always the case for \({\mathcal A} (G) = {\mathcal C}_0 (G)\), \({\mathcal CB} (G)\), \({\mathcal LUC} (G)\). It follows from Drury's theorem that this is also the case, when \(G\) is discrete and Abelian, for \({\mathcal B} (G)\). When \(G\) is a metrizable locally compact group, every \(B (G)\)-interpolation set (i.e. every topological Sidon set) is an approximable \({\mathcal B} (G)\)-interpolation set. This uses a result of \textit{M. Déchamps-Gondim} [ Ann. Inst. Fourier 22, No. 3, 51--79 (1972; Zbl 0229.43008; Zbl 0273.43010)]. If \(G\), as a topological space, is normal, all discrete closed subsets of \(G\) are approximable \({\mathcal CB} (G)\)-interpolation sets; the converse holds when \(G\) is metrizable. The authors prove, under the assumption that \(G\) is metrizable, that a subset \(S\) of \(G\) is an approximable \({\mathcal LUC}\)-interpolation set if and only if \(S\) is right uniformly discrete (Theorem~4.9). The study of approximable \({\mathcal WAP}\)-interpolation sets is more difficult. It is done in the framework of locally compact \(E\)-groups (a notion more general, for non-compact groups, than that of locally compact \(SIN\)-groups), and is expressed in terms of translation compact sets, a notion generalizing that of translation finite sets used for discrete groups by Chou and Ruppert in the above quoted papers (Theorem~4.16). Using a Ramsey argument, they show that a uniformly discrete subset \(S\) is an approximable \({\mathcal WAP}\)-interpolation set if and only if it is an approximable \({\mathcal WAP}_0\)-interpolation set (Theorem~4.22). Then the authors study the union problem. In the last part, they show that the Bohr compactification of the discrete group \({\mathbb Z}\) contains an \({\mathcal LUC}\)-interpolation set which is not uniformly discrete. Under \(CH\), they show that in every non-metrizable locally compact Abelian group \(G\), there exists an \({\mathcal AP} (G)\)-interpolation set which is not uniformly discrete.