Anti-C*-algebras

Abstract

We introduce a class of Banach algebras that we call anti-C*-algebras. We show that the normed standard embedding of a C*-ternary ring is the direct sum of a C*-algebra and an anti-C*-algebra. We prove that C*-ternary rings and anti-C*-algebras are semisimple. We give two new characterizations of C*-ternary rings which are isomorphic to a TRO (ternary ring of operators), providing answers to a query raised by Zettl in 1983, and we propose some problems for further study.

15 pages. Some typos corrected and some slight notational changes made. Paper has been submitted (Ignore version 4; the wrong file was uploaded)