Definition 2.16. Let be a -algebra (the unit of which is denoted by ) and be a seminorm on (viewed as a vector space over ).
- (1)
The seminorm is said to be sub-multiplicative if for any one has .
- (2)
The seminorm is called power-multiplicative if for any and any .
- (3)
The seminorm is called multiplicative if for any .
A -algebra seminorm (resp. -algebra norm) on is defined to be a sub-multiplicative seminorm (resp. sub-multiplicative norm) on such that . We denote by an algebra seminorm. Any -algebra equipped with a complete -algebra norm is called a Banach -algebra.
We use calligraphic letters to denote Banach algebras and Banach modules (defined below) and use the corresponding capital letters to denote the underlying -algebra or the underlying module of a -algebra. For example, a Banach -algebra is denoted by . If is a sub--algebra of , then the restriction of on is a -algebra norm. If this norm is complete, we say that ( equipped with the restricted norm) is a Banach -sub-algebra of . Similarly, if is a quotient -algebra of , then the quotient of the norm on is a sub-multiplicative seminorm. If it is a complete norm, we say that ( equipped with the quotient norm) is a Banach quotient -algebra of .