Amenability of ultraproducts of Banach algebras

Abstract

We study when certain properties of Banach algebras are stable under ultrapower constructions. In particular, we consider when every ultrapower of $\mc A$ is Arens regular, and give some evidence that this is if and only if $\mc A$ is isomorphic to a closed subalgebra of operators on a super-reflexive Banach space. We show that such ideas are closely related to whether one can sensibly define an ultrapower of a dual Banach algebra. We study how tensor products of ultrapowers behave, and apply this to study the question of when every ultrapower of $\mc A$ is amenable. We provide an abstract characterisation in terms of something like an approximate diagonal, and consider when every ultrapower of a C$^*$-algebra, or a group $L^1$-convolution algebra, is amenable.