Banach elements and spectrum in Banach quasi *-algebras

Abstract

A normal Banach quasi -algebra (X;A_0) has a distinguished Banach - algebra X_b consisting of bounded elements of X. The latter -algebra is shown to coincide with the set of elements of X having fi nite spectral radius. If the family P(X) of bounded invariant positive sesquilinear forms on X contains suffi ciently many elements then the Banach -algebra of bounded elements can be characterized via a C -seminorm defi ned by the elements of P(X).