Group algebras acting on \(L^p\)-spaces (Q905615)

In the present paper, the authors study representations of a locally compact group \(G\) on certain classes of Banach spaces, as well as the corresponding completions of the group algebra \(L^1(G)\). Namely, for each \(p \in [1, \infty)\), they consider the class \(L^p\) of \(L^p\)-spaces; the class \(SL^p\) of closed subspaces of Banach spaces in \(L^p\); the class \(QL^p\) of quotients of Banach spaces in \(L^p\) by closed subspaces; and the class \(QSL^p\) of quotients of Banach spaces in \(SL^p\) by closed subspaces. The corresponding universal completions of \(L^1(G)\) are denoted by \(F^p(G), \;F^p_S(G), \;F^p_Q(G)\) and \(F^p_{QS}(G)\), respectively. They also study the algebra \(F^p_{\lambda}(G)\) of \(p\)-pseudofunctions on \(G\) which is the Banach subalgebra of \(\mathcal{B}(L^p(G))\) generated by all the operators of left convolution by functions in \(L^1(G)\). Equivalently, \(F^p_{\lambda}(G)\) is the closure of the image of the left regular representation \(\lambda_p:L^1(G) \rightarrow \mathcal{B}(L^p(G))\). This algebra was introduced by \textit{C. S. Herz} in [Ann. Inst. Fourier 23, No. 3, 91--123 (1973; Zbl 0257.43007)] where \(F^p_{\lambda}(G)\) was denoted \(PF_p(G)\) (see also [\textit{M. Neufang} and \textit{V. Runde}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 349, No. 1, 21--29 (2009; Zbl 1155.43003)]). The authors prove a characterization of group amenability in terms of canonical maps between these universal Banach algebras. They also give a family of examples showing that these characterizations of group amenability cannot be extended to \(L^p\)-operator crossed products of topological spaces.