An indicator for Wiener-Hopf integral equations with invertible analytic symbol

For Wiener-Hopf integral equations with an operator or matrix valued kernel and with an invertible symbol which is analytic on the real line and at infinity an indicator is introduced. In general this indicator is a bounded linear operator, but when the kernel is matrix valued and the symbol is rational it is a (possibly non-square) matrix. From the indicator the invertibility properties and Fredholm characteristics of the integral equation can be read off. The class of Wiener-Hopf equations studied here is also described in terms of growth conditions on the derivatives of the kernel.