Banach algebras generated by an invertible isometry of an \(L^p\)-space (Q2517365)

The structure of invertible isometries of \(L^p[0,1]\), \(1\leq p<\infty\), \(p\neq 2\), were described by \textit{S. Banach} in his 1932 classic [Théorie des opérations linéaires. Warszawa: Seminarium Matematyczne Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego; Warszawa: Instytut Matematyczny PAN (1932; Zbl 0005.20901; JFM 58.0420.01)]. This result was completely proved and generalised to \(L^p\) spaces on \(\sigma\)-finite measure spaces by \textit{J. Lamperti} [Pac. J. Math. 8, 459--466 (1958; Zbl 0085.09702)]. The paper under review studies the Banach algebra \(F^p(v,v^{-1})\) generated by an invertible isometry \(v\) of an \(L^p\) space (and its inverse). These are basic examples of \(L^p\)-operator algebras, i.e., Banach algebras that can be isometrically represented as operators on some \(L^p\)-space. \(F^p(G)\) and \(F^p_{\lambda}(G)\), the \(L^p\)-operator algebra and the reduced \(L^p\)-operator algebra of a locally compact group \(G\), are important examples. Here the examples \(F^p(\mathbb{Z})\) and \(F^p(\mathbb{Z}_n)\) are discussed in detail. The concept of a `spectral configuration' \(\sigma\) is defined and a Banach algebra \(F^p(\sigma)\) is associated to such a \(\sigma\). A strong dichotomy is obtained for these: They are isomorphic to either \(F^p(\mathbb{Z})\) or to the space of all continuous functions on their maximal ideal space. The structure of isometric isomorphisms between \(L^p\)-spaces, \(p\neq 2\), is discussed and it is shown that, under some assumptions, every isometric isomorphism between \(L^p\)-spaces is a combination of a multiplication operator and a nullset preserving bi-measurable isomorphism between the measure spaces. The main result on \(F^p(v,v^{-1})\) shows that, for a separable \(L^p\) space, the Gelfand transform defines an isometric isomorphism between \(F^p(v,v^{-1})\) and \(F^p(\sigma(v))\), where \(\sigma(v)\) is the spectral configuration associated to \(v\). A consequence is that \(F^p(v,v^{-1})\) can be represented on \(\ell^p\). Question raised: When is a separable \(L^p\)-operator algebra isometrically represented on \(\ell^p\)? It is shown that \(F^p(v, v^{-1})\) is always semisimple; further, except for the case when it is isomorphic to \(F^p(\mathbb{Z})\), \(p\neq 2\), it is closed under the continuous functional calculus and the Gelfand transform is an isomorphism. Using the description of \(F^p(v, v^{-1})\) obtained, it is shown that there is a quotient of \(F^1(\mathbb Z)\) that cannot be isometrically represented on any \(L^p\)-space for any \(p\in [1,\infty)\). In particular, the class of Banach algebras that act on \(L^1\)-spaces is not closed under quotients, thus answering negatively, for \(p=1\), a~question raised by \textit{C. Le Merdy} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 119, No.~1, 83--90 (1996; Zbl 0847.46029), Problem 3.8].