No label defined (Q4027009)

Let \(B\) be a real Banach function space, namely, a linear subspace of the space \(C_{\mathbb{R}}(X)\) of real-valued continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space \(X\), which separates the points of \(X\) and contains constant functions and such that it is a Banach space under some norm which dominates the sup-norm. A function \(h\) on some open interval in the real line is said to operate on \(B\) if \(h\circ b\in B\) for all \(b\in B\) for which \(h\circ b\) is defined. A principal result in the theory of operating functions is that if a non-affine function operates on the real part of a Banach function algebra \(A\), then \(A=C(X)\), due to work of de Leeuw-Katznelson, Wermer, Bernard, Sidney and Hatori. It is noted that the notion of ultraseparation introduced by A. Bernard has played a central role. Let \(\ell^ \infty(\mathbb{N},B)\) be the space of all bounded sequences in \(B\) which is identified with a subspace of \(C(\beta(\mathbb{N}\times X))\), where \(\beta(\mathbb{N}\times X)\) is the Stone- Čech compactification of \(\mathbb{N}\times X\). Then \(B\) is said to be ultraseparating if \(\ell^ \infty(\mathbb{N},B)\) separates the points of \(\beta(\mathbb{N}\times X)\). In the paper under review, the author proves the following theorem: If an ultraseparating Banach function space \(B\) on a compact Hausdorff space \(X\) admits a continuous non-affine operating function, then there exists a finite subset \(F\) of \(X\) such that for each \(x\in X\backslash F\) there is a compact neighborhood \(K_ x\) of \(x\) with \(B| K_ x= C_{\mathbb{R}}(K_ x)\). The author asks if \(B=C_{\mathbb{R}}(X)\) under the same assumption. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0746.00071].