Amenable operators of the form normal plus compact (Q2442625)

A long-standing open question asks whether every norm-closed subalgebra of \(\mathcal B(\mathcal H)\) (also called an operator algebra) that is amenable, as a Banach algebra, is automatically similar to a \(C^*\)-algebra. Although this question was answered recently, in the negative, with an inherently nonseparable counterexample [\textit{Y.-M. Choi} et al., Forum Math. Sigma 2, Article ID e2, 12 p. (2014; Zbl 1287.47057)], it remains open for abelian operator algebras. The present paper continues to study this problem for operator algebras that are, in addition, singly generated; that is, it is studied as a problem in single operator theory. The authors show that an amenable operator algebra, generated by a bounded operator \(T\) and satisfying any one of the following conditions, is similar to a \(C^*\)-algebra (and, in particular, \(T\) is similar to a normal operator): {\parindent=8mm\begin{itemize}\item[(i)] \(T=N+K\), where \(N\) is normal and \(K\) is compact and \(\sigma_e(N)\) has only finitely many accumulation points; \item[(ii)] \(T=N+K\), where \(N\) is normal, \(K\) is a \(p^{\text{th}}\) Schatten-class operator for some \(p>1\), and \(\sigma(N)\cup \sigma(T)\) is contained in a smooth Jordan curve; \item[(iii)] \(T=N+Q\), where \(N\) is normal, \(Q\) is polynomial-compact, and \(N,Q\) commute; \item[(iv)] \(T-T^*\) is a \(p^{\text{th}}\) Schatten-class operator for some \(p>1\); \item[(v)] \(1-TT^*\) is a \(p^{\text{th}}\) Schatten-class operator for some \(p>1\); or \item[(vi)] \(1-T^*T\) is a \(p^{\text{th}}\) Schatten-class operator for some \(p>1\). \end{itemize}}