A distinguished real Banach algebra (Q2655529)

Let \(C_s(\mathbb{T})\) be the set of all continuous complex valued functions on \(\mathbb{T}= \{z\in\mathbb{C}:|z|= 1\}\) that are symmetric; i.e., \(\overline{f(e^{-it})}= f(e^{it})\). Let \(A_s\subset C_s(\mathbb{T})\) be the subspace of functions that admit a holomorphic extension to the interior \(\mathbb{D}\) of the unit disc. \(C_s(\mathbb{T})\) and \(A_s\) are then real algebras. When \(A_s\) is endowed with the supremum norm, \(A_s\) is isomorphically isometric to the real Banach algebra \(A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\) of holomorphic functions on the disc that are real on the interval \((-1,1)\), and that admit a continuous extension to \(\overline{\mathbb{D}}\). The author characterizes the maximal ideals of \(A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\) and determines the associated multiplicative linear functionals. The results are as follows: {\parindent6mm \begin{itemize}\item[(1)] Let \(a\in\overline{\mathbb{D}}\) and \(M_a= \{f\in A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D}): f(a)= 0\}\). Then an ideal \(M\) in \(A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\) is maximal if and only if \(M= M_a\) for some \(a\in\overline{\mathbb{D}}\). \item[(2)] The only multiplicative real linear functionals \(\phi: A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\to \mathbb{R}\) on \(A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\) are given by \(\phi(f)= f(a)\), where \(a\in [-1,1]\). Their kernels are the maximal ideals \(M_a\) that have codimension 1 in the real vector space \(A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\). \item[(3)] The remaining \(\mathbb{R}\)-linear multiplicative functionals have target space \(^{\mathbb{R}}\mathbb{C}=\) the real division algebra \(\mathbb{C}\) regarded as a vector space over \(\mathbb{R}\). They are given by \(\phi(f)= f(a)\) or \(\phi(f)=\overline{f(a)}\), where \(a\in \overline{\mathbb{D}}\setminus[- 1,1]\). Their kernels are the maximal ideals \(M_a\) that have codimension 2 in the real vector space \(A_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathbb{D})\). \end{itemize}} The author's proofs are self-contained and do not require the axiom of choice or Zorn's lemma.