We investigate weak amenability of the Banach algebra A(X) of approximable operators on a Banach space X and its relation to factorization properties of operators in A(X). We show that if A(X) is weakly amenable, then either A(X) is self-induced (a nice factorization property), or X is very special, combining some of the exotic properties of the spaces of Gowers and Maurey and of Pisier. In the class of self-induced Banach algebras we show that weak amenability is preserved under an equivalence of Morita type. Using this we extend some results of A. Blanco about weak amenability of A(X).
We show that the amenability of a locally compact group $G$ is equivalent to a factorization property of $VN(G)$ which is given by $ VN(G) = <VN(G)^*VN(G)>$. This answer partially two problems proposed by Z. Hu and M. Neufang in their article \textit{Distinguishing properties of Arens irregularity}, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 137 (2009), no. 5, 1753-1761.
Using the recently developed notion of a Herz--Schur multiplier of a C*-dynamical system we introduce weak amenability of C*- and W*-dynamical systems. As a special case we recover Haagerup's characterisation of weak amenability of a discrete group. We also consider a generalisation of the Fourier algebra to crossed products and study its multipliers.
Let $G$ be a locally compact group. We show that its Fourier algebra $A(G)$ is amenable if and only if $G$ has an abelian subgroup of finite index, and that its Fourier-Stieltjes algebra $B(G)$ is amenable if and only if $G$ has a compact, abelian subgroup of finite index. We then show that $A(G)$ is weakly amenable if the component of the identity of $G$ is abelian, and we prove some partial results towards the converse.
The notion of Fréchet locally $C^*$-algebra generalizes the notion of $C^*$-algebra. In this paper, we first present some definitions and basic facts about locally $C^*$-algebra, and then we introduce and study the notion of ideal and weak amenability for these algebras. Also, we show that every Fréchet locally $C^*$-algebra is ideally amenable.
In this paper, we deal with cohomological properties of weak amenability, cyclic amenability, cyclic weak amenability and point amenability of Banach algebras. We look at some hereditary properties of them and show that continuous homomorphisms with dense range preserve cyclically weak amenability, however, weak amenability and cyclically amenability are preserved under certain conditions. We also study these cohomological properties of the $θ-$Lau product $A\times_θB$ and the projective tensor product $A\hat{\otimes} B$. Finally, we investigate the cohomological properties of $A^{**}$ and est…
In this paper we find some necessary and sufficient conditions for a Banach algebra to be amenable or weakly amenable, by applying the homomorphisms on Banach algebras.
We give a necessary and sufficient condition for amenability of the Banach algebra of approximable operators on a Banach space. We further investigate the relationship between amenability of this algebra and factorization of operators, strengthening known results and developing new techniques to determine whether or not a given Banach space carries an amenable algebra of approximable operators. Using these techniques, we are able to show, among other things, the non-amenability of the algebra of approximable operators on Tsirelson's space.
New notion of weak amenability, $(φ,ψ)$-weak amenability recently introduced. In this paper we consider this new notion and study $(φ,ψ)$-weak amenability of group algebras $M(G)$, $L^1(G)$ and $S^1(G)$.
We prove the existence of a linear isometric correspondence between the Banach space of all symmetric orthogonal forms on a JB$^*$-algebra $\mathcal{J}$ and the Banach space of all purely Jordan generalized derivations from $\mathcal{J}$ into $\mathcal{J}^*$. We also establish the existence of a similar linear isometric correspondence between the Banach spaces of all anti-symmetric orthogonal forms on $\mathcal{J}$, and of all Lie Jordan derivations from $\mathcal{J}$ into $\mathcal{J}^*$.
In this paper, we introduce and study some notations of amenability such as $n$-ideal amenability and $n$-weak amenability for Frechet algebra and we examine how these concepts in Banach algebra can be generalized and defined for Frechet algebra. We will also examine some inherited properties of $n$-ideal and $n$-weak amenable Frechet algebra and determine the relations between $m$ and $n$-weak amenability and $m$ and $n$-ideal amenability for Frechet algebra. Also, the relation of these new concepts of amenability of a Frechet algebra and its unitization is investigated.
We show that for a connected Lie group $G$, its Fourier algebra $A(G)$ is weakly amenable only if $G$ is abelian. Our main new idea is to show that weak amenability of $A(G)$ implies that the anti-diagonal, $\checkΔ_G=\{(g,g^{-1}):g\in G\}$, is a set of local synthesis for $A(G\times G)$. We then show that this cannot happen if $G$ is non-abelian. We conclude for a locally compact group $G$, that $A(G)$ can be weakly amenable only if it contains no closed connected non-abelian Lie subgroups. In particular, for a Lie group $G$, $A(G)$ is weakly amenable if and only if its connected component of…
We construct a singly generated subalgebra of ${\mathcal K}({\mathcal H})$ which is non-amenable, yet is boundedly approximately contractible. The example embeds into a homogeneous von Neumann algebra. We also observe that there are singly generated, biflat subalgebras of finite Type I von Neumann algebras, which are not amenable (and hence are not isomorphic to C*-algebras). Such an example can be used to show that a certain extension property for commutative operator algebras, which is shown in arXiv:1012.4259 to follow from amenability, does not necessarily imply amenability.
In this paper, we study the weak amenability of weighted measure algebras and prove that $M(G, ω)$ is weakly amenable if and only if $G$ is discrete and every bounded quasi-additive function is inner. We also study the weak amenability of $L^1(G, ω)^{**}$ and $M(G, ω)^{**}$ and show that the weak amenability of theses Banach algebras are equivalent to finiteness of $G$. This gives an answer to the question concerning weak amenability of $L^1(G, ω)^{**}$ and $M(G, ω)^{**}$.
Let $L^1_\om(G)$ be a Beurling algebra on a locally compact abelian group $G$. We look for general conditions on the weight which allows the vanishing of continuous derivations of $L^1_\om(G)$. This leads us to introducing vector-valued Beurling algebras and considering the translation of operators on them. This is then used to connect the augmentation ideal to the behavior of derivation space. We apply these results to give examples of various classes of Beurling algebras which are weakly amenable, 2-weakly amenable or fail to be even 2-weakly amenable.
Following an approach of Ozawa, we show that several semidirect products are not weakly amenable. As a consequence, we are able to characterize the simply connected Lie groups that are weakly amenable.
It is shown that for a locally compact group $G$, if $L^{1}(G)^{**}$ is approximately weakly amenable, then $M(G)$ is approximately weakly amenable. Then, new notions of approximate weak amenability and approximate cyclic amenability for Banach algebras are introduced. Bounded $ω^{*}$-approximately weakly [cyclic] amenable $\ell^{1}$-Munn algebras are characterized.
For Banach left and right module actions, we will establish the relationships between topological centers of module actions with some result in the weak amenability of Banach algebras.
We completely characterize connected Lie groups all of whose countable subgroups are weakly amenable. We also provide a characterization of connected semisimple Lie groups that are weakly amenable. Finally, we show that a connected Lie group is weakly amenable if the group is weakly amenable as a discrete group.
Let $A$ be a Banach algebra and $X$ be a compact Hausdorff space. Given homomorphisms $ σ\in Hom(A)$ and $τ\in Hom(C(X, A))$, we introduce induced homomorphisms $\tildeσ\in Hom(C(X, A)) $ and $\tildeτ\in Hom(A)$, respectively. We study when $τ$-(weak) amenability of $C(X, A)$ implies $\tildeτ$-(weak) amenability of $A$. We also investigate where $ σ$-weak amenability of $A$ yields $\tildeσ$-weak amenability of $C(X, A)$.
A surjective bounded homomorphism fails to preserve $n$-weak amenability, in general. We however show that it preserves the property if the involved homomorphism enjoys a right inverse. We examine this fact for certain homomorphisms on several Banach algebras.
In this paper, we study weak amenability of Beurling algebras. To this end, we introduce the notion inner quasi-additive functions and prove that for a locally compact group $G$, the Banach algebra $L^1(G, ω)$ is weakly amenable if and only if every non-inner quasi-additive function in $L^\infty(G, 1/ω)$ is unbounded. This provides an answer to the question concerning weak amenability of $L^1(G, ω)$ and improve some known results in connection with it.
We give for a compact group G, a full characterisation of when its Fourier algebra A(G) is weakly amenable: when the connected component of the identity G_e is abelian. This condition is also equivalent to the hyper-Tauberian property for A(G), and to having the anti-diagonal D^v={(s,s^{-1}):s is in G} being a set of spectral synthesis for A(GXG). We show the relationship between amenability and weak amenability of A(G), and (operator) amenability and (operator) weak amenability of A_D(G), an algebra defined by the authors in arXiv:0705.4277. We close by extending our results to some classes o…
In this paper we introduce the notion of $Δ$-weak character amenable Banach algebras and investigate $Δ$-weak character amenability of certain Banach algebras such as projective tensor product $A\widehat{\otimes}B$, Lau product $A\times_TB$ for every Banach algebra $ A$ and $B$, where $T$ be a homomorphism from $B$ into $A$, abstract Segal algebras and module extension Banach algebras.
In this paper we deal with four generalized notions of amenability which are called approximate, approximate weak, approximate cyclic and approximate $n$-weak amenability. The first two were introduced and studied by Ghahramani and Loy in [9]. We introduce the third and fourth ones and we show by means of some examples, their distinction with their classic analogs. Our main result is that under some mild conditions on a given Banach algebra $\A$, if its second dual $\A^{**}$ is $(2n-1)$-weakly [respectively approximately/ approximately weakly/ approximately $n$-weakly] amenable, then so is $\A…
A common fixed point property for semigroups is applied to show that the group algebra $L^1(G)$ of a locally compact group $G$ is $2m$-weakly amenable for each integer $m\geq 1$.
In this paper, we introduce a weak form of amenability on topological semigroups that we call $φ$-amenability, where $φ$ is a character on a topological semigroup. Some basic properties of this new notion are obtained and by giving some examples, we show that this definition is weaker than the amenability of semigroups. As a noticeable result, for a topological semigroup $S$, it is shown that if $S$ is $φ$-amenable, then $S$ is amenable. Moreover, $φ$-ergodicity for a topological semigroup $S$ is introduced and it is proved that under some conditions on $S$ and a Banach space $X$, $φ$-amenabil…
We study weak amenability of central Beurling algebras $ZL^1(G,ω)$. The investigation is a natural extension of the known work on the commutative Beurling algebra $L^1(G,ω)$. For [FC]$^-$ groups we establish a necessary condition and for [FD]$^-$ groups we give sufficient conditions for the weak amenability of $Z\L1o$. For a compactly generated [FC]$^-$ group with the polynomial weight $ω_α(x) = (1 + |x|)^α$, we prove that $ZL^1(G,ω_α)$ is weakly amenable if and only if $α< 1/2$.
We show that for a Banach algebra $A$ with a bounded approximate identity, the amenability of the projective tensor product of A with A, the amenability of the projective tensor product of A with A^{op}and the amenability of A are equivalent. Also if A is a closed ideal in a commutative Banach algebra B, then the weak amenability of the projective tensor product of A and B implies the weak amenability of A.
We shall develop a notion of amenability for dual Banach algebras, namely weak Connes amenability, which will play the role that weak amenability does for usual Banach algebras
We show that for $n\geq 2$ the $n-$weak amenability of the second dual $\A^{**}$ of a Banach algebra $\A$ implies that of $\A$. We also provide a positive answer for the case $n=1,$ which sharpens some older results. Our method of proof also provides a unified approach to give short proofs for some known results in the case where $n=1$.
Let G be a locally compact abelian group, $ω:G\to (0,\infty)$ be a weight, and ($Φ$,$Ψ$) be a complementary pair of strictly increasing continuous Young functions. We show that for the weighted Orlicz algebra $L^Φ_ω(G)$, the weak amenability is obtained under conditions similar to the one considered by Y. Zhang for weighted group algebras. Our methods can be applied to various families of weighted Orlicz algebras, including weighted $L^p$-spaces.
In this paper, we introduce and investigate the concepts of cyclically weakly amenable and point amenable. Then, we compare these concepts with the concepts of weakly amenable and cyclically amenable and find the relation between them. For example, we prove that a Banach algebra is weakly amenable if and only if it is both cyclically amenable and cyclically weakly amenable. In the case where $A$ is commutative, the weak amenability and cyclically weak amenability of $A$ are equivalent. We also show that if $A$ is a Banach algebra with $Δ(A)\neq\emptyset$, then $A$ is cyclically weakly amenable…
Let $A$ be a Banach algebra and $A^{**}$ be the second dual of it. We show that by some new conditions, $A$ is weakly amenable whenever $A^{**}$ is weakly amenable. We will study this problem under generalization, that is, if $(n+2)-th$ dual of $A$, $A^{(n+2)}$, is $T-S-$weakly amenable, then $A^{(n)}$ is $T-S-$weakly amenable where $T$ and $S$ are continuous linear mappings from $A^{(n)}$ into $A^{(n)}$.
We study the existence of multiplier (completely) bounded approximate identities for the Fourier algebras of some classes of hypergroups. In particular we show that, a large class of commutative hypergroups are weakly amenable with the Cowling-Haagerup constant 1. As a corollary, we answer an open question of Eymard on Jacobi hypergroups. We also characterize the existence of bounded approximate identities for the hypergroup Fourier algebras of ultraspherical hypergroups.
Let G be a locally compact group, and let A(G) and B(G) denote its Fourier and Fourier-Stieltjes algebras. These algebras are dual objects of the group and measure algebras, L^1(G) and M(G), in a sense which generalizes the Pontryagin duality theorem on abelian groups. We wish to consider the amenability properties of A(G) and B(G) and compare them to such properties for L^1(G) and M(G). For us, ``amenability properties'' refers to amenability, weak amenability, and biflatness, as well as some properties which are more suited to special settings, such as the hyper-Tauberian property for semisi…
Let $S$ be an inverse semigroup with the set of idempotents $E$. We prove that the semigroup algebra $\ell^{1}(S)$ is always $2n$-weakly module amenable as an $\ell^{1}(E)$-module, for any $n\in \mathbb{N}$, where $E$ acts on $S$ trivially from the left and by multiplication from the right.
We give an example of a non-compact, locally compact group $G$ such that its Fourier-Stieltjes algebra $B(G)$ is operator amenable. Furthermore, we characterize those $G$ for which $A^*(G)$ - the spine of $B(G)$ as introduced by M. Ilie and the second named author - is operator amenable and show that $A^*(G)$ is operator weakly amenable for each $G$.
In this paper we study the ideal amenability of Banach algebras. Let $\cal A$ be a Banach algebra and let $I$ be a closed two-sided ideal in $\cal A$, $\cal A$ is $I$-weakly amenable if $H^{1}({\cal A},I^*)=\{0\}$. Further, $\cal A$ is ideally amenable if $\cal A$ is $I$-weakly amenable for every closed two-sided ideal $I$ in $\cal A$. We know that a continuous homomorphic image of an amenable Banach algebra is again amenable. We show that for ideal amenability the homomorphism property for suitable direct summands is true similar to weak amenability and we apply this result for ideal amenabil…
We prove that hyperbolic groups are weakly amenable. This partially extends the result of Cowling and Haagerup showing that lattices in simple Lie groups of real rank one are weakly amenable. We take a combinatorial approach in the spirit of Haagerup and prove that for the word length metric d on a hyperbolic group, the Schur multipliers associated with r^d have uniformly bounded norms for 0<r<1. We then combine this with a Bozejko-Picardello type inequality to obtain weak amenability.
We introduce two notions of amenability for a Banach algebra $\cal A$. Let $I$ be a closed two-sided ideal in $\cal A$, we say $\cal A$ is $I$-weakly amenable if the first cohomology group of $\cal A$ with coefficients in the dual space $I^*$ is zero; i.e., $H^1({\cal A},I^*)=\{0\}$, and, $\cal A$ is ideally amenable if $\cal A$ is $I$-weakly amenable for every closed two-sided ideal $I$ in $\cal A$. We relate these concepts to weak amenability of Banach algebras. We also show that ideal amenability is different from amenability and weak amenability. We study the $I$-weak amenability of a Bana…
In this paper we study conditions on a Banach space X that ensure that the Banach algebra K(X) of compact operators is amenable. We give a symmetrized approximation property of X which is proved to be such a condition. This property is satisfied by a wide range of Banach spaces including all the classical spaces. We then investigate which constructions of new Banach spaces from old ones preserve the property of carrying amenable algebras of compact operators. Roughly speaking, dual spaces, predual spaces and certain tensor products do inherit this property and direct sums do not. For direct su…
Let $\mathcal A$, $\mathcal B$ be Banach $\mathfrak A$-modules with compatible actions and $\mathcal M$ be a left Banach $\mathcal A$-$\mathfrak A$-module and a right Banach $\mathcal B$-$\mathfrak A$-module. In the current paper, we study module amenability, $n$-weak module amenability and module Arens regularity of the triangular Banach algebra $\mathcal T=[ {cc} \mathcal A & \mathcal M & \mathcal B ]$ (as an $\mathfrak T:=\Big{[ {cc} α& & α ] | α\in\mathfrak A\Big}$-module). We employ these results to prove that for an inverse semigroup $S$ with subsemigroup $E$ of idempotents, the triangul…
This paper concerns the study of regular Fourier hypergroups through multipliers of their associated Fourier algebras. We establish hypergroup analogues of well-known characterizations of group amenability, introduce a notion of weak amenability for hypergroups, and show that every discrete commutative hypergroup is weakly amenable with constant 1. Using similar techniques, we provide a sufficient condition for amenability of hypergroup Fourier algebras, which, as an immediate application, answers one direction of a conjecture of Azimifard--Samei--Spronk [J. Funct. Anal. 256(5) 1544-1564, 2009…
Let $G$ be a locally compact group, and let $A_\cb(G)$ denote the closure of $A(G)$, the Fourier algebra of $G$, in the space of completely bounded multipliers of $A(G)$. If $G$ is a weakly amenable, discrete group such that $\cstar(G)$ is residually finite-dimensional, we show that $A_\cb(G)$ is operator amenable. In particular, $A_\cb(F_2)$ is operator amenable even though $F_2$, the free group in two generators, is not an amenable group. Moreover, we show that, if $G$ is a discrete group such that $A_\cb(G)$ is operator amenable, a closed ideal of $A(G)$ is weakly completely complemented in…
For a locally compact Abelian group $G$ and a continuous weight function $ω$ on $G$ we show that the Beurling algebra $L^1(G, ω)$ is weakly amenable if and only if there is no nontrivial continuous group homomorphism $ϕ$: $G\to \mathbb{C}$ such that $\sup_{t\in G}\frac{|ϕ(t)|}{ω(t)ω(t^{-1})} < \infty$. Let $\hatω(t) = \limsup_{s\to \infty}ω(ts)/ω(s)$ ($t\in G$). Then $L^1(G, ω)$ is 2-weakly amenable if there is a constant $m> 0$ such that $\liminf_{n\to \infty}\frac{ω(t^n)\hatω(t^{-n})}{n} \leq m$ for all $t\in G$.
In this paper, we introduce a new notion of amenability, $σ-$Connes ideal, say, for a large class of dual Banach algebras. We extend the concept of ideal Connes amenability and study their properties. Let $σ$ be a $weak^{*}$-continuous endomorphism on a dual Banach algebra $\mathcal{A}$ with dense range. Then the concept of ideal Connes-amenability and $σ-$ ideally Connes amenability are the same. We gave some general results and hereditary properties with some examples for this new notion of amenability.
Let $A$ and $X$ be Banach algebras and let $X$ be an algebraic Banach $A-$module. Then the $\ell^1-$direct sum $A\times X$ equipped with the multiplication $$(a,x)(b,y)=(ab, ay+xb+xy)\quad (a,b\in A, x,y\in X)$$ is a Banach algebra, denoted by $A\bowtie X$, which will be called "\textit{a generalized module extension Banach algebra}". Module extension algebras, Lau product and also the direct sum of Banach algebras are the main examples satisfying this framework. We characterize the structure of $n-$dual valued ($n\in\mathbb N)$) derivations on $A\bowtie X$ from which we investigate the $n-$we…
Let $A$ be a Banach algebra and $ϕ\in Δ(A)\cup\{0\}$. We say that $A$ is $Δ$-weak $ϕ$-amenable if there exists an $m\in A^{**}$ such that $m(ϕ)=0$ and $m(ψ.a)=ψ(a)$ for each $ψ\in Δ(A)$ and $a\in \ker(ϕ)$. It is shown that $A$ is $Δ$-weak $ϕ$-amenable if and only if $\ker(ϕ)$ has a bounded $Δ$-weak approximate identity. We examine this notion for some algebras over amenable locally compact groups. Also we prove that every $Δ$-weak $ϕ$-amenable Banach algebra has a bounded $Δ$-weak approximate identity.
In this note, we study the Arens regularity of projective tensor product $A\hat{\otimes}B$ whenever $A$ and $B$ are Arens regular. We establish some new conditions for showing that the Banach algebras $A$ and $B$ are Arens regular if and only if $A\hat{\otimes}B$ is Arens regular. We also introduce some new concepts as left-weak$^*$-weak convergence property [$Lw^*wc-$property] and right-weak$^*$-weak convergence property [$Rw^*wc-$property] and for Banach algebra $A$, suppose that $A^*$ and $A^{**}$, respectively, have $Rw^*wc-$property and $Lw^*wc-$property. Then if $A^{**}$ is weakly amenab…
We prove that weak amenability of a locally compact group imposes a strong condition on its amenable closed normal subgroups. This extends non weak amenability results of Haagerup (1988) and Ozawa--Popa (2010). A von Neumann algebra analogue is also obtained.
Weak amenability of a weighted group algebra, or a Beurling algebra, is a long-standing open problem. The commutative case has been extensively investigated and fully characterized. We study the non-commutative case. Given a weight function $ω$ on a locally compact group $G$, we characterize derivations from $L^1(G,ω)$ into its dual in terms of certain functions. Then we show that for a locally compact IN group $G$, if there is a non-zero continuous group homomorphism $φ$: $G\to \mathbb{C}$ such that $φ(x)/ω(x)ω(x^{-1})$ is bounded on $G$, then $L^1(G,ω)$ is not weakly amenable. Some useful cr…
Let $\frak{F}(X, A)$ be one of the Banach algebras $\hbox{Lip}(X, A)$ or $\hbox{lip}(X, A)$. In this paper, we show that $\frak{F}(X, A)$ is amenable if and only if $X$ is uniformly discrete and $A$ is amenable. We also prove that the result holds for $\hbox{lip}^\circ(X, A)$ instead of $\frak{F}(X, A)$. In the case where $A^*$ is separable, we establish that $\frak{F}(X, A)^{**}$ is amenable if and only if $X$ is uniformly discrete and $A^{**}$ is amenable, however, amenability of $\hbox{lip}^\circ(X, A)^{**}$ is equivalent to amenability of $A^{**}$ and finiteness of $X$. We prove that if $\…
Associated with two Banach algebras $\mathcal A$ and $\mathcal B$ and a norm decreasing homomorphism $T:{\mathcal B}\rightarrow{\mathcal A}$, there is a certain Banach algebra product ${\mathcal A}\times_T {\mathcal B}$, which is a splitting extension of $\mathcal B$ by $\mathcal A$. We investigate some notions of amenability such as approximate weak amenability, approximate cyclic amenability, ideal amenability, approximate Connes-amenability, Pseudo-Connes amenability, $w^*$-approximate Connes-amenability, essential amenability, essential $ϕ$-amenability and essential character amenability. …
The weak Haagerup property for locally compact groups and the weak Haagerup constant was recently introduced by the second author. The weak Haagerup property is weaker than both weak amenability introduced by Cowling and the first author and the Haagerup property introduced by Connes and Choda. In this paper it is shown that a connected simple Lie group G has the weak Haagerup property if and only if the real rank of G is zero or one. Hence for connected simple Lie groups the weak Haagerup property coincides with weak amenability. Moreover, it turns out that for connected simple Lie groups the…
Using techniques of non-abelian harmonic analysis, we construct an explicit, non-zero cyclic derivation on the Fourier algebra of the real $ax+b$ group. In particular this provides the first proof that this algebra is not weakly amenable. Using the structure theory of Lie groups, we deduce that the Fourier algebras of connected, semisimple Lie groups also support non-zero, cyclic derivations and are likewise not weakly amenable. Our results complement earlier work of Johnson (JLMS, 1994), Plymen (unpublished note) and Forrest--Samei--Spronk (IUMJ 2009). As an additional illustration of our tec…
Let $X$ be a compact Hausdorff space and $A$ a Banach algebra. We investigate amenability properties of the algebra $C(X,A)$ of all $A$-valued continuous functions. We show that $C(X,A)$ has a bounded approximate diagonal if and only if $A$ has a bounded approximate diagonal; if $A$ has a compactly central approximate diagonal (unbounded) then $C(X,A)$ has a compactly approximate diagonal. Weak amenability of $C(X,A)$ for commutative $A$ is also considered.
A locally compact group $G$ is said to be weakly amenable if the Fourier algebra $A(G)$ admits completely bounded approximative units. Consider the family of groups $G_n=SL(2,\Bbb R)\ltimes H_n$ where $n\ge 2$, $H_n$ is the $2n+1$ dimensional Heisenberg group and $SL(2,\Bbb R)$ acts via the irreducible representation of dimension $2n$ fixing the center of $H_n$. We show that these groups fail to be weakly amenable. Following an idea of Haagerup for the case $n=1$ one can reduce matters to the problem of obtaining nontrivial uniform bounds for a family of singular oscillatory integral operators…
