Multiplicativity Factors for Function Norms

Let (T, Ω, m) be a measure space; let ρ be a function norm on M = M(T, Ω, m), the algebra of measurable functions on T; and let Lρ be the space {f ∈ M : ρ(f) < ∞} modulo the null functions. If Lρ, is an algebra, then we call a constant μ > 0 a multiplicativity factor for ρ if ρ(fg) ≤ μρ(f) ρ(g) for all f, g ∈ Lρ. Similarly, λ > 0 is a quadrativity factor if ρ(f2) ≤ λρ(f)2 for all f. The main purpose of this paper is to give conditions under which Lρ, is indeed an algebra, and to obtain in this case the best (least) multiplicativity and quadrativity factors for ρ. The first of our two principal results is that if ρ is σ-subadditive, then Lρ is an algebra if and only if Lρ is contained in L∞. Our second main result is that if (T, Ω, m) is free of infinite atoms, ρ is σ-subadditive and saturated, and Lρ, is an algebra, then the multiplicativity and quadrativity factors for ρ coincide, and the best such factor is determined by sup{||f||∞: f ∈ Lρ, ρ(f) ≤ 1}.