Applications of operator spaces to abstract harmonic analysis. (Q2571091)

This very instructive and clearly written article surveys the impact on and the use of operator space methods in abstract harmonic analysis, in particular the investigation of the Fourier algebra \(A(G)\) of a locally compact group \(G\). Operator spaces, which have originally been introduced as closed subspaces of the algebras of bounded linear operators in Hilbert spaces, can be characterized as Banach spaces by simple axioms involving the norms of matrix spaces over the given space [\textit{Z.-J. Ruan}, J. Funct. Anal. 76, 217--230 (1988; Zbl 0646.46055)]. The main advantage of this axiomatic approach is that it allows to develop a powerful duality theory (see the monograph by \textit{E. G. Effros} and \textit{Z.-J. Ruan} [Operator spaces (Oxford University Press) (2000; Zbl 0969.46002)]). The Fourier algebra \(A(G)\), being the predual of the group von Neumann algebra \(VN(G)\), carries a natural operator space structure. It was Ruan who discovered the importance of this fact. A classical result due to B. E. Johnson asserts that \(L^1(G)\) is an amenable Banach algebra (that is, the Hochschild cohomology groups of \(L^1(G)\) with coefficients in dual \(L^1(G)\)-bimodules vanish) precisely when the group \(G\) is amenable. However, Johnson observed that \(A(\text{SO}(n))\) fails to be amenable for \(n\geq 3\). Now, for operator spaces, there is a notion of operator amenability, which turned out to be the appropriate concept in this context. In fact, \textit{Z.-J. Ruan} [Am. J. Math. 117, No. 6, 1449--1474 (1995; Zbl 0842.43004)] was able to show that amenability of \(G\) is equivalent to operator amenability of \(A(G)\). In contrast, \(A(G)\) is amenable (if and) only if \(G\) has an abelian subgroup of finite index [\textit{B. Forrest} and \textit{V. Runde}, Math. Z. 250, 731--744 (2005)]. Other applications of operator space methods to Fourier algebras concern the characterization of all closed ideals of \(A(G)\) which possess bounded approximate identities [\textit{B. Forrest}, \textit{E. Kaniuth}, \textit{A. T. Lau} and \textit{N. Spronk}, J. Funct. Anal. 203, No. 1, 286--304 (2003; Zbl 1039.46042)], the operator weak amenability [\textit{N. Spronk}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 130, No. 12, 3609--3617 (2002; Zbl 1006.46040)] and various homological properties [\textit{O. Yu. Aristov}, \textit{V. Runde} and \textit{N. Spronk}, J. Funct. Anal. 209, No. 2, 367--387 (2004; Zbl 1052.22005); \textit{P. J. Wood}, Can. J. Math. 54, No. 5, 1100--1120 (2002; Zbl 1033.46045)].