Topological Invariant Means on Locally Compact Groups
Suppose $G$ is an amenable locally compact group. If $\{F_γ\} = \{F_γ\}_{γ\inΓ}$ is a Følner net for $G$, associate it with the net $\{χ_{F_γ} / |F_γ|\} \subset L_1(G) \subset L_\infty^*(G)$. Thus, every accumulation point of $\{F_γ\}$ is a topological left-invariant mean on $G$. The following are examples of results proved in the present thesis: (1) There exists a Følner net which has as its accumulation points a set of $2^{2^κ}$ distinct topological left-invariant means on $G$, where $κ$ is the smallest cardinality of a covering of $G$ by compact subsets. (2) If $G$ is unimodular and $μ$ is a topological left-invariant mean on $G$, there exists a Følner net which has $μ$ as its unique accumulation point. (3) Suppose $L \subset G$ is a lattice subgroup. There is a natural bijection of the left-invariant means on $L$ with the topological left-invariant means on $G$ if and only if $G/L$ is compact. (4) Every topological left-invariant mean on $G$ is also topological right-invariant if and only if $G$ has precompact conjugacy classes. These results lie at the intersection of functional analysis with general topology. Problems in this area can often be solved with standard tools when $G$ is $σ$-compact or metrizable, but require more interesting arguments in the general case.