The structure of power bounded elements in Fourier-Stieltjes algebras of locally compact groups (Q1935765)

The authors continue their study of power bounded elements in the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra \(B(G)\) of a locally compact group \(G\) [the authors anbd \textit{A. T. Lau}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 81, No. 1, 255--275 (2010; Zbl 1196.46037); J. Funct. Anal. 260, No. 8, 2366--2386 (2011; Zbl 1215.43001)]. Recall that \(u\in B(G)\) is power bounded if \(\sup_{n\in\mathbb N} \|u^n\|<\infty\). The two main results of the paper under review are the characterisation of all power bounded elements in the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra and the characterisation of \(u\in B(G)\) such that the sequence \((u^n)_{n=1}^\infty\) converges to \(0\) in the weak* topology. The first result extends a theorem from [Zbl 1215.43001], which gives a characterisation of power bounded elements \(u\) such that \(E_u:=\{x\in G: |u(x)|=1\}\) is open. Now the authors show that every power bounded element has an orthogonal decomposition \(u = u_1 + u_2\) (orthogonal meaning that \(u_1u_2 = 0\)) such that the weak* limit of \((u_1^n)_{n=1}^\infty\) is \(0\) and \(E_{u_2}\) is open. Then the previous characterisation is applicable to \(u_2\) and so \(u_2 = \sum_{k=1}^m \lambda_k 1_{F_k} \gamma_k(a_k^{-1}{} \cdot{})\), with unimodular complex numbers \(\lambda_k\), disjoint open sets \(F_k\) in the coset ring of \(G\) such that \(\bigcup_{k=1}^m F_k = \operatorname {int}(E_u) = E_{u_2}\), and characters \(\gamma_k\) of open subgroups \(H_k\) such that \(F_k\subseteq a_kH_k\), \(a_k\in G\). The characterisation of \(u\in B(G)\) such that the weak* limit of \((u^n)_{n=1}^\infty\) is \(0\) is the following one: \(u\) is power bounded and the set \(\{x\in G: u(x) = \lambda\}\) has empty interior for every unimodular complex number \(\lambda\). Moreover, the authors show that the weak* limit of \((u^n)_{n=1}^\infty\) exists and is nonzero if and only if \(u\) is power bounded and \(\{x\in G: u(x) = \lambda\}\) has empty interior for every unimodular complex number \(\lambda\neq 1\) but has nonempty interior for \(\lambda=1\). The paper contains also numerous related results, concerning, for example, what happens in interesting special cases.