Disjointness preserving linear operators between Banach algebras of vector-valued functions (Q2446087)

The authors consider Banach algebras of vector valued functions, meaning functions with values in Banach algebras, contained in \(C(X,E)\) where \(X\) is a compact Hausdorff space and \(E\) is a Banach algebra. In particular, they deal with \(\mathrm{Lip}^\alpha(X,E)\) for a commutative unital Banach algebra \(E\) and a compact metric space \(X\). They show that properties in \(E\) such us normality (hyper-normality), regularity (hyper-regularity) or semisimplicity are induced to \(\mathrm{Lip}^\alpha(X,E)\). Their main result extends to the vector-valued case the result shown by \textit{A. Jiménez-Vargas} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 337, No. 2, 984--993 (2008; Zbl 1159.46030)] establishing that disjointness preserving linear maps between little Lipschitz algebras are weighted composition operators. They formulate the result in a more general situation, namely in the setting of hyper-normal semisimple commutative unital Banach algebras \(B(X,E)\) and \(B(Y,F)\) contained in \(C(X,E)\) and \(C(Y,F)\). They analyze the structure of separating linear maps \(T:B(X,E)\to B(Y,F)\) and obtain, in particular, that for separating linear maps \(T\) one has that \(\hat T:\widehat{B(X,E)}\to \widehat{B(Y,F)}\) defined by \(\hat T(\hat f)= \widehat{T(f)}\), is a weighted composition operator. Moreover, if \(T\) is also a bijection, then \(\hat T\) is biseparating and induces a homeomorphism between the character spaces \(M(B(X,E))\) and \(M(B(Y,F))\). Their results are then applied to the case of \(\mathrm{Lip}^\alpha(X,E)\) and \(\mathrm{Lip}^\alpha(Y,F)\).