In this paper we use the recent developments in the representation theory of locally compact quantum groups, to assign, to each locally compact quantum group $\mathbb{G}$, a locally compact group $\tilde {\mathbb{G}}$ which is the quantum version of point-masses, and is an invariant for the latter. We show that ``quantum point-masses" can be identified with several other locally compact groups that can be naturally assigned to the quantum group $\mathbb{G}$. This assignment preserves compactness as well as discreteness (hence also finiteness), and for large classes of quantum groups, amenability. We calculate this invariant for some of the most well-known examples of non-classical quantum groups. Also, we show that several structural properties of $\mathbb{G}$ are encoded by $\tilde {\mathbb{G}}$: the latter, despite being a simpler object, can carry very important information about $\mathbb{G}$.

For a Lie group $G$, we show that the map $C^\infty_c(G)\times C^\infty_c(G)\to C^\infty_c(G)$, $(\gamma,\eta)\mapsto \gamma*\eta$ taking a pair of test functions to their convolution is continuous if and only if $G$ is $\sigma$-compact. More generally, consider $r,s,t \in \mathbb{N}_0\cup\{\infty\}$ with $t\leq r+s$, locally convex spaces $E_1$, $E_2$ and a continuous bilinear map $b\colon E_1\times E_2\to F$ to a complete locally convex space $F$. Let $\beta\colon C^r_c(G,E_1)\times C^s_c(G,E_2)\to C^t_c(G,F)$, $(\gamma,\eta)\mapsto \gamma *_b\eta$ be the associated convolution map. The main result is a characterization of those $(G,r,s,t,b)$ for which $\beta$ is continuous. Convolution of compactly supported continuous functions on a locally compact group is also discussed, as well as convolution of compactly supported $L^1$-functions and convolution of compactly supported Radon measures.

Let $A_p(G)$ be the Figa-Talamanca, Herz Banach Algebra on $G$; thus $A_2(G)$ is the Fourier algebra. Strong Ditkin (SD) and Extremely Strong Ditkin (ESD) sets for the Banach algebras $A_p^r(G)$ are investigated for abelian and nonabelian locally compact groups $G$. It is shown that SD and ESD sets for $A_p(G)$ remain SD and ESD sets for $A_p^r(G)$, with strict inclusion for ESD sets. The case for the strict inclusion of SD sets is left open. A result on the weak sequential completeness of $A_2(F)$ for ESD sets $F$ is proved and used to show that Varopoulos, Helson, and Sidon sets are not ESD sets for $A_2(G)$, yet they are such for $A_2^r(G)$ for discrete groups $G$, for any $1\le r\le 2$. A result is given on the equivalence of the sequential and the net definitions of SD or ESD sets for $\sigma$-compact groups. The above results are new even if $G$ is abelian.

Let $\mathcal{A}$ be a Banach algebra with a bounded right approximate identity and let $\mathcal B$ be a closed ideal of $\mathcal A$. We study the relationship between the right identities of the double duals ${\mathcal B}^{**}$ and ${\mathcal A}^{**}$ under the Arens product. We show that every right identity of ${\mathcal B}^{**}$ can be extended to a right identity of ${\mathcal A}^{**}$ in some sense. As a consequence, we answer a question of Lau and \"Ulger, showing that for the Fourier algebra $A(G)$ of a locally compact group $G$, an element $\phi \in A(G)^{**}$ is in $A(G)$ if and only if $A(G) \phi \subseteq A(G)$ and $E \phi = \phi $ for all right identities $E $ of $A(G)^{**}$. We also prove some results about the topological centers of ${\mathcal B}^{**}$ and ${\mathcal A}^{**}$.

The decomposability number of a von Neumann algebra $\m$ (denoted by $\dec(\m)$) is the greatest cardinality of a family of pairwise orthogonal non-zero projections in $\m$. In this paper, we explore the close connection between $\dec(\m)$ and the cardinal level of the Mazur property for the predual $\m_*$ of $\m$, the study of which was initiated by the second author. Here, our main focus is on those von Neumann algebras whose preduals constitute such important Banach algebras on a locally compact group $G$ as the group algebra $\lone$, the Fourier algebra $A(G)$, the measure algebra $M(G)$, the algebra $\luc^*$, etc. We show that for any of these von Neumann algebras, say $\m$, the cardinal number $\dec(\m)$ and a certain cardinal level of the Mazur property of $\m_*$ are completely encoded in the underlying group structure. In fact, they can be expressed precisely by two dual cardinal invariants of $G$: the compact covering number $\kg$ of $G$ and the least cardinality $\bg$ of an open basis at the identity of $G$. We also present an application of the Mazur property of higher level to the topological centre problem for the Banach algebra $\ag^{**}$.

We introduce and investigate using Hilbert modules the properties of the {\em Fourier algebra} $A(G)$ for a locally compact groupoid $G$. We establish a duality theorem for such groupoids in terms of multiplicative module maps. This includes as a special case the classical duality theorem for locally compact groups proved by P. Eymard.

For a locally compact group $G$ and $1
Keywords:Locally compact groups, amenable groups, multiplier algebra, Herz algebra
Category:43A07

In this paper, we investigate projectivity in the category of operator spaces. In particular, we show that the Fourier algebra of a locally compact group $G$ is operator biprojective if and only if $G$ is discrete.

Willis's structure theory of totally disconnected locally compact groups is investigated in the context of permutation actions. This leads to new interpretations of the basic concepts in the theory and also to new proofs of the fundamental theorems and to several new results. The treatment of Willis's theory is self-contained and full proofs are given of all the fundamental results.