On order structure and operators in \(L_{\infty }(\mu)\) (Q2268539)

Let \(E\) be a rearrangement invariant Banach space of functions on an atomless finite measure space \((\Omega, \Sigma, \mu)\), and let \(X\) be a Banach space. An operator \(T: E \to X\) is said to be narrow in the sense of [\textit{A.\,M.\thinspace Plichko} and \textit{M.\,M.\thinspace Popov}, Diss.\ Math.\ 306 (1990; Zbl 0715.46011)] if, for every \(\varepsilon > 0\) and every \(A \in \Sigma\), there is an \(x \in E\) such that \(|x| = {\mathbf 1}_A\), \(\int_A x\, d\mu = 0\) and \(\|Tx\| < \varepsilon\). The present paper is devoted to the study of narrow operators on \(L_\infty(\mu)\). The absence of the absolute continuity of the norm in \(L_\infty(\mu)\) leads to new effects and difficulties which do not appear in \(L_p(\mu)\) for \(1 \leq p < \infty\). For example, there is a continuous linear functional on \(L_\infty[0,1]\) that is not narrow. It was shown in [\textit{O.\,V.\thinspace Maslyuchenko, V.\,V.\thinspace Mykhaylyuk, M.\,M.\thinspace Popov}, Positivity 13, No.\,3, 459--495 (2009; Zbl 1183.47033)] that every operator on \(L_\infty(\mu)\) that maps order bounded sets in relatively compact sets (AM-compact operator) is necessarily narrow. In the paper under review, the authors show, in particular, that every bounded operator \(T: L_\infty(\mu) \to c_0(\Gamma)\) is narrow, although not all such operators are AM-compact.