A several variables Kowalski-S\lodkowski theorem for topological spaces

Abstract

In this paper, we provide a version of the classical result of Kowalski and Słodkowski that generalizes the famous Gleason-Kahane-$\dot{\mathrm{Z}}$elazko (GKZ) theorem by characterizing multiplicative linear functionals amongst all complex-valued functions on a Banach algebra. We first characterize maps on $\mathcal{A}$-valued polynomials of several variables that satisfy some conditions, motivated by the result of Kowalski and Słodkowski, as a composition of a multiplicative linear functional on $\mathcal{A}$ and a point evaluation on the polynomials, where $\mathcal{A}$ is a complex Banach algebra with identity. We then apply it to prove an analogue of Kowalski and Słodkowski's result on topological spaces of vector-valued functions of several variables. These results extend our previous work from \cite{jaikishan2024multiplicativity}; however, the techniques used differ from those used in \cite{jaikishan2024multiplicativity}. Furthermore, we characterize weighted composition operators between Hardy spaces over the polydisc amongst the continuous functions between them. Additionally, we register a partial but noteworthy success toward a multiplicative GKZ theorem for Hardy spaces.