Tensor products of several spaces and nuclearity (Q792596)

Tensor products of several locally convex spaces \(X_ 1,...,X_ r\) are discussed. The following question \((G_ r)\) is a generalization of a question posed by Grothendieck. Suppose that the \(\epsilon\)- and \(\pi\)-topologies coincide on the tensor product \(X_ 1\otimes...\otimes X_ r\). Does it necessarily follow that at least one of the spaces \(X_ 1,...,X_ r\) is a nuclear space? The question \((G_ r)\) has a negative answer for all \(r\geq 2\). Similar related questions are also treated, particularly in the case \(r\geq 3\). In this case characterizations of nuclearity in terms of tensor products are obtained. The results are based on some properties of ideals of multilinear operators, which were introduced recently by Pietsch.