On the peripheral spectrum of positive elements

Let A be an ordered Banach algebra with a unit \(\mathbf{e}\) and a cone \(A^+\). An element p of A is said to be an order idempotent if \(p^2 = p\) and \(0 \le p\le \mathbf{e}\). An element \(a\in A^+\) is said to be irreducible if the relation \((\mathbf{e}-p)ap = 0\), where p is an order idempotent, implies \(p = 0\) or \(p = \mathbf{e}\). For an arbitrary element a of A the peripheral spectrum \(\sigma _\mathrm{per}(a)\) of a is the set \(\sigma _\mathrm{per}(a) = \{\lambda \in \sigma (a):|\lambda | = r(a)\}\), where \(\sigma (a)\) is the spectrum of a and r(a) is the spectral radius of a. We investigate properties of the peripheral spectrum of an irreducible element a. Conditions under which \(\sigma _\mathrm{per}(a)\) contains or coincides with \(r(a)H_m\), where \(H_m\) is the group of all \(m^\mathrm{th}\) roots of unity, and the spectrum \(\sigma (a)\) is invariant under rotation by the angle \(\frac{2\pi }{m}\) for some \(m\in {\mathbb N}\), are given. The correlation between these results and the existence of a cyclic form of a is considered. The conditions under which a is primitive, i.e., \(\sigma _\mathrm{per}(a) = \{r(a)\}\), are studied. The necessary assumptions on the algebra A which imply the validity of these results, are discussed. In particular, the Lotz–Schaefer axiom is introduced and finite-rank elements of A are defined. Other approaches to the notions of irreducibility and primitivity are discussed. Conditions under which the inequalities \(0 \le b < a\) imply \(r(b) < r(a)\) are studied. The closedness of the center \(A_\mathbf{e}\), i.e., of the order ideal generated by \(\mathbf{e}\) in A, is proved.