Norm-linear and norm-additive operators between uniform algebras

AbstractLet A⊂C(X) and B⊂C(Y) be uniform algebras with Choquet boundaries δA and δB. A map T:A→B is called norm-linear if ‖λTf+μTg‖=‖λf+μg‖; norm-additive, if ‖Tf+Tg‖=‖f+g‖, and norm-additive in modulus, if ‖|Tf|+|Tg|‖=‖|f|+|g|‖ for each λ,μ∈C and all algebra elements f and g. We show that for any norm-linear surjection T:A→B there exists a homeomorphism ψ:δA→δB such that |(Tf)(y)|=|f(ψ(y))| for every f∈A and y∈δB. Sufficient conditions for norm-additive and norm-linear surjections, not assumed a priori to be linear, or continuous, to be unital isometric algebra isomorphisms are given. We prove that any unital norm-linear surjection T for which T(i)=i, or which preserves the peripheral spectra of C-peaking functions of A, is a unital isometric algebra isomorphism. In particular, we show that if a linear operator between two uniform algebras, which is surjective and norm-preserving, is unital, or preserves the peripheral spectra of C-peaking functions, then it is automatically multiplicative and, in fact, an algebra isomorphism