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We prove that, given a discrete group $G$, and $1 \leq p < \infty$, the algebra of $p$-convolution operators $CV_p(G)$ is weak*-simple, in the sense of having no non-trivial weak*-closed ideals, if and only if $G$ is an ICC group. This generalises the basic fact that $vN(G)$ is a factor if and only if $G$ is ICC. When $p=1$, $CV_p(G) = \ell^1(G)$. In this case we give a more detailed analysis of the weak*-closed ideals, showing that they can be described in terms of the weak*-closed ideals of $\ell^1(FC(G))$; when $FC(G)$ is finite, this leads to a classification of the weak*-closed ideals of $\ell^1(G)$., Comment: 18 pages. To appear in Studia Mathematica

Let $G$ be a group which is either virtually soluble or virtually free, and let $\omega$ be a weight on $G$. We prove that, if $G$ is infinite, then there is some maximal left ideal of finite codimension in the Beurling algebra $\ell^1(G, \omega)$ which fails to be (algebraically) finitely generated. This implies that a conjecture of Dales and Zelazko holds for these Banach algebras. We then go on to give examples of weighted groups for which this property fails in a strong way. For instance we describe a Beurling algebra on an infinite group in which every left ideal of finite codimension is finitely generated, and which has many such ideals in the sense of being residually finite dimensional. These examples seem to be hard cases for proving Dales and Zelazko's conjecture., Comment: 10 pages. To appear in Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society

We classify the weak*-closed maximal left ideals of the measure algebra $M(G)$ for certain Hermitian locally compact groups $G$ in terms of the irreducible representations of $G$ and their asymptotic properties. In particular, we obtain a classification for connected nilpotent Lie groups, and the Euclidean rigid motion groups. We also prove a version of this result for certain weighted measure algebras. We apply our classification to obtain an analogue of Barnes' Theorem on integrable representations for representations vanishing at infinity. We next study the relationship between weak*-closedness and finite generation, proving that in many cases $M(G)$ has no finitely-generated maximal left ideals. We also show that the measure algebra of the 2D Euclidean rigid motion group has a weak*-closed maximal left ideal that is not generated by a projection, and investigate whether or not it has any weak*-closed left ideals which are not finitely-generated., Comment: 21 pages. Version 2: proof of Lemma 3.1 simplified; Question 8.3 modified. To appear in the Journal of Operator Theory

Let $G$ be an amenable group. We define and study an algebra $\mathcal{A}_{sn}(G)$, which is related to invariant means on the subnormal subgroups of $G$. For a just infinite amenable group $G$, we show that $\mathcal{A}_{sn}(G)$ is nilpotent if and only if $G$ is not a branch group, and in the case that it is nilpotent we determine the index of nilpotence. We next study $\operatorname{rad} \ell^1(G)^{**}$ for an amenable branch group $G$, and show that it always contains nilpotent left ideals of arbitrarily large index, as well as non-nilpotent elements. This provides infinitely many finitely-generated counterexamples to a question of Dales and Lau, first resolved by the author in a previous article, which asks whether we always have $(\operatorname{rad} \ell^1(G)^{**})^{\Box 2} = \{ 0 \}$. We further study this question by showing that $(\operatorname{rad} \ell^1(G)^{**})^{\Box 2} = \{ 0 \}$ imposes certain structural constraints on the group $G$., Comment: 18 pages

Given a Banach space $E$, we ask which closed subspaces may be realised as the kernel of a bounded operator $E \rightarrow E$. We prove some positive results which imply in particular that when $E$ is separable every closed subspace is a kernel. Moreover, we show that there exists a Banach space $E$ which contains a closed subspace that cannot be realized as the kernel of any bounded operator on $E$. This implies that the Banach algebra $\mathcal{B}(E)$ of bounded operators on $E$ fails to be weak*-topologically left Noetherian. The Banach space $E$ that we use is the dual of Wark's non-separable, reflexive Banach space with few operators., Comment: 6 pages

We investigate topologically left Noetherian Banach algebras. We show that if $G$ is a compact group, then $L^{\, 1}(G)$ is topologically left Noetherian if and only if $G$ is metrisable. We prove that, given a Banach space $E$ such that $E'$ has BAP, the algebra of compact operators $\mathcal{K}(E)$ is topologically left Noetherian if and only if $E'$ is separable; it is topologically right Noetherian if and only if $E$ is separable. We then give some examples of dual Banach algebras which are topologically left Noetherian in the weak*-topology. Finally we give a unified approach to classifying the weak*-closed left ideals of certain dual Banach algebras that are also multiplier algebras, with applications to $M(G)$ for $G$ a compact group, and $\mathcal{B}(E)$ for $E$ a reflexive Banach space with AP., Comment: 21 pages

We prove that the bidual of a Beurling algebra on $\mathbb{Z}$, considered as a Banach algebra with the first Arens product, can never be semisimple. We then show that ${\rm rad\,}(\ell^{\, 1}(\oplus_{i=1}^\infty \mathbb{Z})")$ contains nilpotent elements of every index. Each of these results settles a question of Dales and Lau. Finally we show that there exists a weight $\omega$ on $\mathbb{Z}$ such that the bidual of $\ell^{\, 1}(\mathbb{Z}, \omega)$ contains a radical element which is not nilpotent., Comment: 18 pages

We construct a unital pre-C*-algebra $A_0$ which is stably finite, in the sense that every left invertible square matrix over $A_0$ is right invertible, while the C*-completion of $A_0$ contains a non-unitary isometry, and so it is infinite., Comment: 5 pages

Let $G$ be a locally compact group. We prove that the augmentation ideal in $L^1(G)$ is (algebraically) finitely-generated as a left ideal if and only if $G$ is finite. We then investigate weighted versions of this result, as well as a version for semigroup algebras. Weighted measure algebras are also considered. We are motivated by a recent conjecture of Dales and \.Zelazko, which states that a unital Banach algebra in which every maximal left ideal is finitely-generated is necessarily finite-dimensional. We prove that this conjecture holds for many of the algebras considered. Finally, we use the theory that we have developed to construct some examples of commutative Banach algebras that relate to a theorem of Gleason.