Ideal Spaces of Banach Algebras

The ideal space Id(A) of a Banach algebra A is studied as abitopological space Id(A), _u, _n, where _u is the weakest topologyfor which all the norm functions I || a + I|| (with a A andI Id(A)) are upper semi-continuous, and _n is the de Groot dualof _u. When A is separable, _nu is either a compact, metrizabletopology, or it is neither Hausdorff nor first countable. TAF-algebrasare shown to exhibit the first type of behaviour. Applicationsto Banach bundles (which motivate the study), and to PI-Banachalgebras, are given. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification:46H10, 46J20.