Homomorphisms on algebras of analytic functions on non-symmetrically regular spaces (Q6038687)

For a complex Banach space \(X\), let \(\mathcal H_b(X)\) denote all holomorphic functions \(f:X \to \mathbb C\) that are bounded on balls of \(X\). \(\mathcal H_b(X)\) is a Fréchet algebra when endowed with the countable family of norms \(f \mapsto \|f\|_n \equiv \sup_{\|x\| \leq n}|f(x)|\), \( n\in \mathbb N\). Let \(\mathcal M_b(X)\) denote the set of non-zero continuous homomorphisms \(\varphi:\mathcal H_b(X) \to \mathbb C\). The set \(\mathcal M_b(X)\) is viewed as a subset of the unit sphere of \(X^*\), and it is compact with the associated weak-star topology. Each homomorphism \(\varphi \in \mathcal M_b(X)\) is naturally associated to an element \(\pi(\varphi) \in X^{**}\), via \(\pi(\varphi) \equiv \varphi|_{X^*}\). This enables us to define a \textit{fiber} \(\pi^{-1}(x^{**}) \subset \mathcal M_b(X)\) over \(x^{**}\). Clearly, evaluations \(\delta_x\) are in \(\mathcal M_b(X)\) for each \(x \in X\). Moreover, since there is a continuous, linear, multiplicative extension mapping \(f \in \mathcal H_b(X) \leadsto \tilde{f} \in \mathcal H_b(X^{**})\) (see, e.g., [\textit{A. M. Davie} and \textit{T. W. Gamelin}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 106, No. 2, 351--356 (1989; Zbl 0683.46037)]), it follows that each point \(x^{**} \in X^{**}\) yields an element of \(\mathcal M_b(X)\), \( \tilde{\delta}_{x^{**}}: f \mapsto \tilde{f}(x^{**})\). Evidently, this extension process can continue, yielding \(\tilde{\tilde f} \in \mathcal H_b(X^{iv})\), etc. However, it is by no means clear that this process will yield \textit{new} homomorphisms \(f \mapsto \tilde{\tilde f}(x^{iv})\) for some \(x^{iv} \in X^{iv}\). This topic was first examined by \textit{R. M. Aron} et al. [J. Reine Angew. Math. 415, 51--93 (1991; Zbl 0717.46031)]. The topic of \textit{symmetric regularity} was shown here to be highly relevant. (The Banach space \(X\) is said to be symmetrically regular if every bounded, linear, symmetric mapping \(X \to X^*\) is weakly compact.) Further progress was made by \textit{R. M. Aron} et al. [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 348, No. 2, 543--559 (1996; Zbl 0844.46024)], where it was shown that symmetric regularity of \(X\) is equivalent to there not being any such \textit{new} homomorphisms coming from \(X^{iv}\). In this very interesting paper, the authors obtain significant improvements in our knowledge of the structure of the maximal ideal space \(\mathcal M_b(X)\) in the case that \(X\) is not symmetrically regular. Specifically, they show that if \(X\) has a quotient which is isomorphic to \(F \oplus F^*\) for some non-reflexive \(F\), then for every \(x^{**}\) there is \(x^{iv}\) such that \( \tilde{\tilde \delta}_{x^{iv}}\) lies in the fiber over \(x^{**}\) although \( \tilde{\tilde \delta}_{x^{iv}} \neq \tilde{\delta}_{x^{**}}\). The result seems strong, especially given that the authors are unaware of any non-symmetrically regular space \(X\) which is not covered by the theorem. In addition, the paper contains an extension of work (see, e.g., the aforementioned paper in J. Reine Angew Math.) on convolutions of homomorphisms in \(\mathcal M_b(X)\). Recall that if \(\varphi, \psi \in \mathcal M_b(X)\), their \textit{convolution} \(\varphi \ast \psi \in \mathcal M_b(X)\) is defined as \[ \varphi \ast \psi(f) \equiv \varphi(x \leadsto \psi(\tau_x(f)))\] (where \(f \in \mathcal H_b(X)\) and \(\tau_x(f)(y) \equiv f(x+y)\)). It is shown that if \(X = L_1(G)\) or \(X = F \oplus F^*\) for some non-reflexive \(F\), then the following holds: If \(z \in X^{**}\) is such that \(\tilde{\delta_z}\) and \(\tilde{\delta_u}\) commute for every \(u \in X^{**}\), then \(z \in X\). The paper is interspersed with helpful commentary, such as a (gentle) correction of a miscalculation in the aforementioned Transactions AMS paper. In addition, there is an interesting remark which seems to indicate that the Corona Problem remains out of reach, even in this context.