Spectral theory for algebraic combinations of Toeplitz and composition operators

We determine the essential spectra of algebraic combinations of Toeplitz operators with continuous symbol and composition operators induced by a class of linear-fractional non-automorphisms of the unit disk. The operators in question act on the Hardy space H2 on the unit disk. Our method is to realize the C∗-algebra that they generate as an extension of the compact operators by a concrete C∗-algebra whose invertible elements are easily characterized. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved