Approximation properties defined by spaces of operators and approximability in operator topologies (Q733334)

Let \(A(X)\) be a linear subspace of \(L(X)\), the space of bounded linear operators on a Banach space \(X\). A Banach space \(X\) is said to have the \(A(X)\)-approximation property if the identity operator on \(X\) is in the closure of \(A(X)\) in the topology of uniform convergence on compact subsets of \(X\). With \(A(X)=F(X)\), we get the approximation property and \(A(X)=K(X)\) gives the compact approximation property. A unified approach to characterize approximation properties in terms of the strong operator topology is developed and, in the process, the authors give new proofs of know results. The main tool used is the isometric version of the Davis, Figiel, Johnson and Pełczynski factorization. To give a flavor of the kind of results the authors prove: if \(A\) and \(B\) are operator ideals satisfying \(A \circ B^* \subset K\), then \(X\) has the \(A(X)\) approximation property if and only if, for every Banach space \(Y\) and for every \(T \in B^*(Y,X)\), there exists a net \((S_\alpha) \subset A(X)\) such that \(\sup_\alpha \|S_\alpha T\| \leq \|T\|\) and \(T^* S_\alpha^* \to T^*\) in the strong operator topology on \(L(X^*,Y^*)\). The results are applied to characterize approximation properties for dual spaces and weak metric approximation properties.