On continuity of the spectral radius function in Banach algebras (Q803882)

Let L be a complex Banach algebra with unit e. Denote \(S(a)=\{\lambda \in {\mathbb{C}}:\lambda\) e-a is an interior point of the set of singular elements of \(L\}\), and put \(\gamma (a)=\sup \{| \lambda |:\lambda\in S(a)\}\) (or \(\gamma (a)=0\) if \(S(a)=\emptyset \}\). Let \(J_ L\) be the collection of all closed two-sided ideals in L and put \(\sigma_ J(a)\) for the spectrum of coset of a in L/J. Put \(r_ J(a)=\sup \{\inf | \lambda |:\lambda\in \omega \}:\omega\) is a component in \(\sigma_ J(a)\}.\) The main result of the paper states that the sufficient condition for the continuity of the spectral radius function \(x\to r(x)\) at \(x=a\) is that \(r(a)=\max \{\gamma (a)\), \(\sup \{r_ J(a):\) \(J\in J_ L\}\}\). In the case when \(L=L(H)\), H a separable Hilbert space, this condition is also necessary.