Compactness of derivations from commutative Banach algebras

Abstract

We consider the compactness of derivations from commutative Banach algebras into their dual modules. We show that if there are no compact derivations from a commutative Banach algebra, $A$, into its dual module, then there are no compact derivations from $A$ into any symmetric $A$-bimodule; we also prove analogous results for weakly compact derivations and for bounded derivations of finite rank. We then characterise the compact derivations from the convolution algebra $\ell^1(\Z_+)$ to its dual. Finally, we give an example (due to J. F. Feinstein) of a non-compact, bounded derivation from a uniform algebra $A$ into a symmetric $A$-bimodule.