A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE

ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! )

IOANNIS GASPARIS

Abstra t. For every ountable ordinal , we onstru t a l1 -predual

! +2

X whi h is isometri to a subspa e of C !! and isomorphi to

a quotient of

C (! ! ). However, X is not isomorphi to a subspa e of

C (! ! ).

1. Introdu tion

The study of quotients of C (), for  a ountable ordinal, is losely re-

lated to the problem of the isomorphi lassi ation of the omplemented
subspa es of C [0; 1. Indeed, every omplemented subspa e of C [0; 1 is ei-
ther isomorphi to a quotient of C (), for some  < !1 , [4, or is isomorphi
to C [0; 1, [11.
A ording to a result of Johnson and Zippin, [8, every quotient of C (!)
is isomorphi to a subspa e of C (!). A natural question whi h arises then is
if su h a phenomenon o urs in C (), for every  < !1 . Alspa h, [1, gave
a negative answer to this question by exhibiting a quotient of C (!! ) whi h
is not isomorphi to a subspa e of C (), for any  < !1 .
Alspa h's example left open the following question: Suppose X is isomor-
phi to a quotient of C (!! ) and that there exists  < !1 with X isomorphi
to a subspa e of C (). Is X isomorphi to a subspa e of C (!! )?
In this arti le, we answer this question in the negative by showing the
following:
Theorem 1.1. For every ountable ordinal , there exists a l1 -predual spa e
X satisfying the following properties:
(1) X is isomorphi to a quotient of C (!! ). 
(2) X is not isomorphi to a subspa eof C (!! ).
! +2
(3) X is isometri to a subspa e of C !! .

Date : September 09, 1998.

1991 Mathemati s Subje t Classi ation. Primary: 46B03. Se ondary: 06A07, 03E10.

Key words and phrases. Spa es of ontinuous fun tions, ountable ompa t spa es,

l1 -preduals.
This paper is part of the author's Ph.D. thesis prepared at the University of Texas at

Austin under the supervision of Professor H.P. Rosenthal.

1
2 IOANNIS GASPARIS

We re all here that a ording to a result of Bessaga and Pel zynski, [5,
for every ountable ompa t metri spa e K , there 
exists a unique ountable
ordinal  so that C (K ) is isomorphi to C (!! ).
The spa es X are obtained by a general method of onstru ting l1 -
preduals whi h are quotients of C (!! ). (Denitions of the relevant on epts
are given in Se tions 2 and 3.) This method, Theorem 5.1, asso iates to ev-
ery w - ompa t subset K of the probability measures on [1; !, a l1 -predual
spa e X (K ). Several hoi es of the set K give rise to l1 -preduals with in-
teresting properties. For instan e, if K is taken to be the w - losure of the
set of the (! + 1)-averages (this on ept is dened in the end of Se tion 2)
of (n ), the sequen e of point masses on [1; !), then X (K ) is the spa e X
satisfying the on lusion of Theorem 1.1.
If we hoose K to be the set of all probability measures on [1; !, then
X (K ), whi h in this spe ial ase we denote by X1 , is isometri to the spa e
onstru ted by Alspa h in [1. In fa t, as it is shown in Corollary 6.1, X1
ontains a ontra tively omplemented subspa e isometri to X , for all
 < !1 . Therefore, we obtain, as a orollary to our Theorem 1.1 that X1
is not isomorphi to a subspa e of C (), for all  < !1 .
The proof of Theorem 1.1 is based on Theorems 4.3 and 1.2 whi h are
proved in Se tions 4 and 6 respe tively. The former is a riterion for esti-
mating the norming onstant of a w - ompa t norming subset of BX  , in a
Bana h spa e X with a separable dual X  . The latter, is a generalization
of Alspa h's main lemma, [1, whi h roughly says that if L is a w - ompa t
ountable subset of the losed unit ball of l1 (!), then there exists a proba-
bility measure on [1; !) whi h is \almost" mutually singular with respe t to
ea h member of L. More pre isely in Se tion 6 we show:
Theorem 1.2. Let K be a w - ompa t subset of Bl1 (!) homeomorphi to
[1; ! n, for some  < !1 and n 2 N . (K is endowed with the w -topology
and [1; ! n is given the order topology.) Let  > 0 and (yi ), a onvex blo k
subsequen e of (i ) be given. There exists a onvex blo k subsequen e (zi ) of
(yi ), onsisting of ( + 1)- averages of (yi ) su h that zi is -disjoint from K ,
for all i 2 N .
We re all that if K is a ompa t metri spa e and  > 0, then two signed
Borel measures ,  2 BC (K ) are alled -disjoint , S if there exist A, B ,
disjoint Borel measurable subsets of K so that K = A B and jj(A) < ,
j j(B ) < . If M  BC (K ) , then  is alled -disjoint from M provided that
,  are -disjoint for all  2 M . It is shown in [1 that if K is a ountable
w - ompa t subset of Bl1 (!) and  > 0, then there is a probability measure
 on [1; !) whi h is -disjoint from K . Theorem 1.2 generalizes this result.
Finally, we remark that none of the spa es X is isomorphi to a om-
plemented subspa e of C [0; 1, sin e ea h of them ontains a ontra tively
omplemented subspa e isometri to the Alspa h-Benyamini l1 -predual, [3.
A knowledgments. I would like to thank the referee for his most helpful
omments, orre tions and suggestions regarding the results of this paper.
 A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! ) 3

2. Preliminaries

We shall make use of standard Bana h spa e fa ts and terminology. In

this se tion we review some the ne essary on epts.
For a Bana h spa e X , BX denotes its losed unit ball. A subset B of
BX  is alled -norming , > 0,S provided that BX  is ontained in the w -
losure of the onvex hull of B B . L(X ) is the Bana h spa e of bounded
linear operators from X into itself under the operator norm.
l1 denotes the Bana h spa e of the absolutely summable sequen es under
the norm given by the sum of the absolute values of the oordinates. X is
a l1 -predual if X  is isometri to l1 .
If K is a ompa t metri spa e, A is a losed subset of K and  < !1 ,
then we write A() to denote the -th derived set of A. If x 2 K , then x
stands for the point mass at x.
C (K ) denotes the Bana h spa e of real valued fun tions ontinuous on
K equipped by the supremum norm. If  is an ordinal and K = [1; , the
spa e of ordinals not ex eeding , with the order topology, then we shall
alternatively write C () to denote C (K ). C0 () is the subspa e of C ()
onsisting of fun tions vanishing at .
We note here that if L is a w - ompa t subset of BX  and  < !1 , then
we shall say that L is homeomorphi to [1;  if there exists a map between
L and [1;  whi h is a homeomorphism when L is endowed with the w -
topology and [1;  is given the order topology.
If K is a ountable ompa t metri spa e then C (K ) is isometri ally
isomorphi to l1 . We shall adopt the notation l1 (K ) in order to denote l1
viewed as the dual of C (K ). In ase K = [1; , for some  < !1 , we shall
write l1 () instead

of l1 (K ). By the w -topology of l1 (K ), we mean the
Pl1 (K ); C (K ) -topology. The positive fa e of the ball of l1 (K ) is the set
f a2K a a : a  0; Pa2K a = 1g.
Note that in the sequel we will, without further omment, onsider ele-
ments of the spa e l1 (K ), as either fun tions dened on K , or as measures
on K .
Next we re all the denition of a onvex blo k subsequen e of a sequen e
(ei ) in X . Given F , G nite subsets of N, we denote by F < G the relation
max F < min G. A sequen e (xi ) is alled a onvex blo k subsequen e of (ei )
if there exist sets Fi  N with F1 < F2 <


P and a sequen e ofPnon-negative
s alars (ai ) su h that for every i 2 N, xi = n2Fi an en and n2Fi an = 1.
By s(xi ) we denote the support of xi , i.e. the set fn 2 Fi : an > 0g. We
write x1 < x2 <


to indi ate that F1 < F2 <


.
We now pass to the denition of an -average of the sequen e (ei ), where
 is a ountable ordinal. The set of the 0-averages of (ei ) is fei : i 2 N g.
Assume that the set of the  -averages of (ei ) has been dened for every
 < . Suppose rst that  is a su essor ordinal, say  =  + 1. A ve tor
x 2 X is an -average of (ei ) if there exist n 2 N and x1 <


< xn , where
xj is a  -average of (ei ) for all j  n, so that x = x1 +


n +xn .
4 IOANNIS GASPARIS

If  is a limit ordinal, let (an ) be a stri tly in reasing sequen e of ordinals

tending to . A ve tor x 2 X is now alled an -average of (ei ) if there
exists n 2 N so that x is an n -average of (ei ) and en  x. Clearly, an
-average of (ei ) is a nite onvex ombination of elements of (ei ).

3. Tree des ription of ordinal intervals

In this arti le we shall use trees in order to des ribe the ordinal intervals
[1; !n , n 2 N. Re all that a tree (T ; 6) is a non-empty partially ordered set
su h that for all x 2 T , the set of the prede essors of x in T is well ordered.
T1 denotes the tree of all nite sequen es of positive integers under the
following partial order: Given  = (a1 ;


; an ) and  = (b1 ;


; bm ) in T1,
then  6  if and only if n  m and ai = bi , for i  n.
We denote by (;) the empty sequen e and by jj the level of . That is,
jj = n if  = (a1 ;


; an ). S
We set Tn = f 2 T1 : jj  ng f(;)g, for all n 2 N. If  2 Tn , then F
denotes the set of the followers of  in Tn. Thus, F = f 2 Tn :  6  g.
We also set D = ;, if jj = n, and D = f(; i) : i 2 N g, if jj < n. Given
F , a nite subset of D , we set
UF = f 2 Tn : 6  for some 2 D n F g:
It is not di ult to show that the family
 [ 
UF fg :  2 Tn; F  D nite

forms a basis for a Hausdor topology in Tn. It follows then that Tn endowed
by this topology be omes a ountable ompa t metri spa e homeomorphi
to [1; !n .
We let Un denote the anoni al w - ontinuous proje tion of l1 (T2n ) onto
its subspa e [ :  2 T2n ; jj  1. That is, the linear proje tion indu ed
by the relations
Un ((m;) ) = (m) ; for all  2 T2n 1 and m 2 N
and,
Un ( ) =  ; for all  2 T2n ; jj  1:
Clearly, Un is w - ontinuous and kUn k = 1. Finally we state the following
lemma whose proof is straightforward and therefore we omit it.
Lemma 3.1. Let x be a nitely supported normalized element of l1 (T1 )
whose support lies in the set f 2 T1 : jj = 1g. If (xn ) is a sequen e in
l1 (T1 ) su h that kxn k  1, for all n 2 N , and limn!1 xn = x, (w ), then
limn!1 xn = x in norm.
 A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! ) 5

4. Estimating norming onstants

In this se tion we give a riterion, Theorem 4.3, for estimating the norming
onstant of a w - ompa t norming subset of BX  , for a Bana h spa e X with
X  separable. This riterion was motivated by the proof of the main result
of [1.
Denition 4.1. Let X be a Bana h spa e and A, B , subsets of X . A and
B are -almost l12 , for some  > 0, if the following holds for every x 2 A
and y 2 B :
kax + byk  jajkxk + jbjkyk (jaj + jbj); for all a; b 2 R:
Remark . If ,  are -disjoint, then fg and f g are 2-almost l12 .
Denition 4.2. Let X be a Bana h spa e, B  BX , x 2 BX and  > 0.
Suppose that V 2 L(X ) with kV k  1. We shall say that V satises () for
(; x; B ), if it admits a de omposition
V = V1 V2 where Vi 2 L(X ) and kVi k  1 for i = 1; 2;
so that the following properties are satised:
(1) kVi (x)k > 1 , for i = 1; 2.
(2) V1 (B ) and V2 (B ) are -almost l12 .
We are now able to state our riterion.
Theorem 4.3. Let X be a Bana h spa e with a separable dual X  . Suppose
that B is a w - ompa t, -norming subset of BX  and n 2 N . Assume that
for every  > 0, there exist x 2 BX  and (Ti )ni=1  L(X  ) so that:
(1) TPi satises () for (; x ; B ), for all i  n.
(2) ni=1 kTi (y )k  1, for all y 2 BX  .
Then,  21n .
Proof. Let  > 0. Choose x 2 BX  and (Ti )ni=1  L(X  ) a ording to the
hypothesis. For every i  n, Ti admits a de omposition, Ti = Ti1 Ti2 , so
that:
(a) Tij 2 L(X  ); kTij k  1; for j  2;
(b) kTij (x)k > 1 ; for j  2;
( ) Ti1 (B ) and Ti2 (B ) are -almost l12 :
Next we observe that sin e X  is separable and B is a w - ompa t subset
of X  , then a ording toSa result of Bessaga and Pel zynski, [6, the norm
S onvex hull of B
losed B oin ides with the w - losed onvex hull of
B B . It follows now, sin e B is a -norming subset of BX  , that there
exist (zi )m
i=1  B and s alars (i )i=1 so that
m
m m
X X
jk j  1 :

(d) x
k zk <  and
k=1 k=1
6 IOANNIS GASPARIS

Fix now i  n. By ( ), we have that

kaTi1 (z ) + bTi2 (z )k  jajkTi1 (z )k + jbjkTi2 (z )k
k k k k (jaj + jbj)
for all k  m and a, b in R.
Applying the pre eding inequality for \a" = k , \b" = k , k  m, we
obtain:
jk jkTi (zk )k  jk jkTi1 (zk )k + jk jkTi2 (zk )k 2jk j:
Summing over k we get
m  m   m  m
X X X X
jk jkTi (z )k  Ti1
k k z  + Ti2
k

k zk 2 jk j:
k=1 k=1 k=1 k=1
Applying (a), (b), (d), the pre eding inequality yields
m
X m
X
jk jkTi (zk )k  2(1 2) 2 jk j
k=1 k=1
for all i  n. Summation over i now yields
X m
n X m
X
jk jkTi (zk )k  2n(1 2) 2n jk j:
i=1 k=1 k=1
Or,
m
X n
X m
X
jk j kTi (zk )k  2n(1 2) 2n jk j:
k=1 i=1 k=1
But from our hypothesis we have that
n
X
kTi (zk )k  1; for all k  m
i=1
and thus,
m
jk j  2n1(1+ 2n2) :
X

k=1
Hen e,
1 2n(1 2)

 1 + 2n
:

Sin e  was arbitrary, we obtain the desired estimate  21n . 

 A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! ) 7

5. A onstru tion of l1 -preduals

The aim of this se tion is to prove the following
Theorem 5.1. Let K be a w - ompa t subset of the positive fa e of the ball
of l1 (T1 ). There exists a sequen e (Xn ) of l1 -preduals (depending on K ), so
that for every n 2 N the following are satised:
(1) The dual, Yn, of Xn is a w - losed subspa e of l1 (T2n ) with a basis
Cn onsisting of disjointly supported nite onvex ombinations of
elements of f :  S2 T2ng.
(2) C1 = fxi : i 2 N g f :  2 T2 ; jj  1g, where the support of
ea h xi is ontained in f 2 T2 : jj = 2g, and K is equal to the set
of the w - luster points of the sequen e (xi ) in l1 (T2 ).
(3) There exists a sequen e (Cn 1;i ) of pairwise disjoint subsets of Cn
so that the support of ea h member of Cn 1;i is ontained in f 2
T2n : jj > 1g and
1
[ [
Cn = Cn 1;i f :  2 T2n ; jj  1g:
i=1
Moreover, for all i 2 N , Yn 1;i = [Cn 1;i is w - losed in Yn and
w -isometri to Yn 1 . (C0;i = fxi g, for all i 2 N .)
Proof. We rst let fzi : i 2 N g be a ountable norm-dense subset of K .
Then, for ea h i 2 N, we hoose a sequen e S (yij ) of nitely supported onvex
ombinations of elements of f(n) : n 2 N g f(;) g su h that limj !1 kyij
zi k = 0.
Let (Mi ) be an innite partition of N into pairwise disjoint innite subsets.
Set
1
X


xj = yij (l) (l;j ) + yij (;) (j;j ) ; for all j 2 Mi and i 2 N :
l=1
Clearly, (xi ) onsists of disjointly supported onvex ombinations of elements
of f :  2 T2 ; jj = 2g and the set of its w - luster points in l1 (T2 ) equals
K.
Set Y1 = [C1 , where
[
C1 = fxi : i 2 N g f :  2 T2 ; jj  1g:
Sin e every w - luster point of C1 is ontained in Y1 , we dedu e, by Lemma
1 of [2, that Y1 is w - losed in l1 (T2 ).
Assume n  2 and that Yn 1 = [Cn 1 has been onstru ted satisfying 1.
and 3. We rst onsider the set T2n (2n 2) = f 2 T2n : jj  2g whi h is
order isomorphi to T2 . Let (xi )  l1 (T2n (2n 2) ), be a sequen e hosen as
in the ase n = 1. There exists a sequen e (Ei ) of pairwise disjoint nite
subsets of f 2 T2n : jj = 2g so that for all i 2 N
X X
xi =   ;   0; for all  2 Ei ; and  = 1:
2Ei 2Ei
8 IOANNIS GASPARIS

Fix i 2 N and  2 Ei . Then, F , the set of the followers of  in T2n, is order

isomorphi to T2n 2 . Let
 : T2n 2 ! F
be an order isomorphism. Dene
n 1;i : l1 (T2n 2 ) ! l1 (T2n )
by
X
n 1;i(y) =    (y); for all y 2 l1 (T2n 2 ):
2Ei

Where by  we denote the adjoint of the natural isometry from C (F )
onto C (T2n 2), indu ed by  . Clearly n 1;i is a w - ontinuous isometri
embedding. Set
Yn 1;i = n 1;i (Yn 1 ) and Cn 1;i = n 1;i(Cn 1 ):
Then Yn 1;i = [Cn 1;i is w - losed in l1 (T2n ), w -isometri to Yn 1 and
Cn 1;i onsists of disjointly
S supported nite onvex ombinations of elements
of the set f :  2 2Ei F g. Note that n 1;i((;) ) = xi , and thus
xi 2 Cn 1;i .
Finally, set Yn = [Cn , where
1
[ [
Cn = Cn 1;i f :  2 T2n ; jj  1g:
i=1
Assume now that (k ) is a sequen e of elements in Cn su h that limk k = 
(w ). Assume further that there exist integers i1 < i2 <


so that k 2
Cn 1;ik , for all k 2 N. We then observe that limk xik =  (w ) as well. It
follows that every w - luster point of Cn is ontained in Yn and hen e Yn is
w - losed in l1 (T2n ), by Lemma 1 of [2.
Let now Xn be the quotient of C (T2n ) modulo the annihilator of Yn in
C (T2n). This is the desired l1 -predual whi h, by the results of [8, is iso-
morphi to 0 . The indu tive onstru tion of the sequen e (Xn ) is now
omplete. 
Notation . We let X (K ) denote the 0 -sum of the sequen e (Xn ) of l1 -
preduals onstru ted in Theorem 5.1. Clearly this spa e is a l1 -predual iso-
metri to a quotient of C0 (!! ). In the sequel we shall refer to X (K ) as the
l1 -predual orresponding to K .
Remark . (1) Un (y) = Un (xi ), for all y 2 Cn 1;i , where Un is the
anoni al w - ontinuous proje tion of l1 (T2n ) onto [ :  2 T2n ; jj 
1.
(2) The basis proje tion Qn 1;i : Yn ! Yn 1;i i.e., the linear map whi h is
the identity on CnS 1;i and vanishes on Cn n Cn 1;i , is w - ontinuous.
This is so sin e 2Ei F is a lopen subset of T2n ontaining the
support of ea h member of Cn 1;i , and interse ting the support of
none of the members of Cn n Cn 1;i .
 A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! ) 9

(3) The spa e X (K ) is, up to an isometry, independent of the hoi e of

the sequen e (xi ) in l1 (T2 ), whose set of w - luster points is equal to
K.

6. Proofs of the main results

We rst give the proof of Theorem 1.1 using Theorem 1.2 and our previ-
ously obtained results, and then pass to the proof of Theorem 1.2.
Proof of Theorem 1.1. We denote by A(),  < !1 , the set of the -averages
of the sequen e ((n) ). Let also K be the w - losure of A(! + 1) in l1 (T1 ).
We x  < !1 . For every n 2 N let Yn , Cn , (Cn 1;i ) be as in the on lusion
of Theorem 5.1 applied on K . Let also X be the l1 -predual orresponding
to K . We are going to show by indu tion on n 2 N the following
Claim: For every w - ompa t subset B of BYn , homeomorphi to [1; !! ,


and for all  > 0, there exist i0 2 N, x 2 Cn 1;i0 and (Ti )ni=1  L(Yn ) so
that:
(1) Ti satises () for (; x ; B ); for all i  n:
n
X
(2) kTi (y)k  1; for all y 2 BYn :
i=1
On e the laim is established, we obtain by Theorem 4.3 that for every
n 2 N, the norming onstant of any w - ompa t norming subset of BYn
! 
homeomorphi to [1; ! is at most 21n . Therefore, X is not isomorphi to

a subspa e of C (!! ).
We pro eed now to establish our laim. First we treat the ase n = 1.
Let U1jY1 be the restri tion of the anoni al w - ontinuous proje tion to Y1 .
Be ause U1 (B ) is homeomorphi to [1; ! k, for some   ! and k 2 N,
Theorem 1.2 with \(yi )"= ((i) ), yields a ( +1)-average of ((i) ), , su h that
fg and U1 (B ) are 4 -almost l12 . Sin e the ( + 1)-averages are ontained in
the (! +1)-averages, we dedu e that  2 K . By the hoi e of the sequen e
(xi )  C1 ,  is a w - luster point of (xi ). Sin e U1 is w - ontinuous and
U1 () = , Lemma 3.1 yields the existen e of i0 2 N su h that
kU (xi0 ) k < 4 :
1

It follows now that

(3) fU (xi0 )g and U (B ) are -almost l and kU (xi0 )k > 1 :
1 1
2
1 1

(A tually, kU (xi0 )k = 1.)

1
Let Ri0 : Y ! [xi0 be the basis proje tion onto [xi0 . Set
1

U1jY1 Ri0 and x = xi0 :

T1 = U1jY1
It follows that kT1 k  1 and that T1 satises () for (; x ; B ). Indeed,
T1 (xi0 ) = 0 and T1 (y) = U1 (y) for all y 2 C1 , y 6= xi0 . Thus kT1 k  1.
10 IOANNIS GASPARIS

We also have, by (3), that U1 (B ) and U1 Ri0 (B ) are -almost l12 , sin e for all
b 2 B , there exists  2 R, jj  1, so that U1 Ri0 (b) = U1 (xi0 ).
Thus the laim holds for n = 1. Assuming the laim is proved for n 1,
let UnjYn be the restri tion of the anoni al w - ontinuous proje tion onto
Yn. As in the rst part of the argument given in the ase n = 1, we obtain
i0 2 N su h that
(4) fUn (xi0 )g and Un (B ) are -almost l12 and kUn (xi0 )k > 1 :
(Re all that by our onstru tion of the spa e Yn, we have that xi0 2 Cn 1;i0
and thus it belongs to Yn.)
Let now Qn 1;i0 : Yn ! Yn 1;i0 be the basis proje tion. As it was pointed
out in the remarks of Se tion 5, Qn 1;i0 is w - ontinuous. We may thus apply
our indu tion hypothesis on Yn 1;i0 (whi h is of ourse w -isometri to Yn 1
via the map n 1 1;i0 that sends Cn 1;i0 onto Cn 1 ) and the w - ompa t set
Qn 1;i0 (B ) in order to obtain
x 2 Cn 1;i and (T )n 1  L(Yn 1;i ) with kT k  1; for i  n 1
0 0
0 i i=1 0 i
so that
Ti satises () for (; x ; Qn 1;i0 (B )); for all i  n
0
(5) 1:
nX1
(6) kTi0 (y)k  1; for all y 2 Cn 1;i0 :
i=1
We set Ti = Ti Qn 1;i0 , for all i  n 1. Evidently, Ti satises () for
0

(; x ; B ), for all i  n 1. Let now Rxi0 : Yn ! [xi0 be the proje tion
whi h takes the onstant value xi0 on Cn 1;i0 , and vanishes on Cn n Cn 1;i0 .
It is lear that kRxi0 k = 1. Finally, set
Tn = UnjYn UnjYn Rxi0 :
Note that Tn vanishes on Cn 1;i0 , sin e Un (y) = Un (xi0 ) for every y 2
Cn 1;i0 , by the remark after the proof of Theorem 5.1. On the other hand,
Ti vanishes on Cn n Cn 1;i0 , for all i  n 1. This fa t ombined with (6)
yields that (2) of our laim holds.
To omplete the indu tive proof of the laim, it remains to be shown that
Tn satises () for (; x ; B ). We need only observe that Un (xi0 ) = Un (x )
and repeat the argument given in the ase n = 1, using (4).  
! +2
Finally, we wish to show that X is isometri to a subspa e of C !! .
To this end, we note that a routine transnite indu tion argument (details
appear in [7), shows that the w - losure of A() in l1 (T1 ) is homeomorphi
to [1; !! . It follows now, by indu tion on n 2 N, that the w - losure of

 
Cn in l1 (T2n ) is homeomorphi to 1; !!! +1 n . The proof of Theorem 1.1
is now omplete. 
Proof of Theorem 1.2. Let us say that K -works, provided K is a ountable
w - ompa t subset of Bl1 (!) homeomorphi to [1; ! n, for some n 2 N, and
 A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! )11

satisfying the on lusion of Theorem 1.2. It su es to show that K -works

if K () = f0g.
Indeed, if K is homeomorphi to [1; ! n, there exist x1 ;


; xn , distin t
elements of K , so that K is the union of n pairwise disjoint lopen subsets
K1 ;


; Kn with Ki() = fxi g, for all i  n. We set
n
[
L= f 12 x 1
x : x 2 Ki g:
2 i
i=1
Choose m 2 N su h that jxi j[m; 1) < 3 , for all i  n. It is easy to he k
that if y 2 Bl1 (!) , s(y)  [m; 1), is 3 -disjoint from L, then it is -disjoint
from K . But L() = f0g and thus if L -works, so does K .
We pro eed by transnite indu tion on  to show that K -works if
K () = f0g. The argument for the ase  = 1 is ontained in the general
indu tive step and so shall omit it. Assume the assertion holds for all ordi-
nals smaller than  and let (n ) be a sequen e of ordinals su h that either
n +1 = , for all n 2 N, or (n ) is a stri tly in reasing sequen e of ordinals
whose limit is . We may write
[1 [
K = Kn f0g
n=1
where (Kn ) is a sequen e of pairwise disjoint lopen subsets of K with Kn
homeomorphi to [1; !n . We x m 2 N. It is enough to exhibit z , an
( + 1)-average of (yi ) whi h is -disjoint from K and su h that ym < z .
We rst hoose l 2 N su h that 2l < 2 . Indu tively we hoose 1 = n0 <
n1 <


and (zi ), a onvex blo k subsequen e of (yi ) onsisting of -averages
of (yi ), so that for all i 2 N
(7)
jxj s(zi ) < l ;


for all x 2 Kn and all n  ni : ( Sin e s(zi ) is nite and
the Kn 's luster at 0:)

 [
(8) zi+1 is -disjoint from Kn : (By the indu tion hypothesis.)
l n<ni
(If  = 1, then (8) is obtained from the fa t that K onsists of a w -null
sequen e and 0.) Note that z1 an be hosen arbitrarily. We let z = z1 +


l +zl ,
whi h is an ( +1)-average of (yi ) with ym < z1 . We laim that z is -disjoint
from K . To this end, let x 2 Kn , for some n 2 N and
hoose i 2 N so that
ni 1  n < ni . If j < i, then (7) yields that jxj s(zj ) < l . If j > i, then
(8) yields that zj is l -disjoint from Kn . In this ase hoose Ej  s(zj ) su h
that
 
z j (E j ) > 1 and jxj(Ej ) < :
l l
12 IOANNIS GASPARIS

S SS
Finally set E = j>i Ej j<i s(zj ), where j runs in f1;


lg. It follows
now that jxj(E ) <  and z (E ) > 1 . Hen e, x and z are -disjoint for
every x 2 K . The proof of Theorem 1.2 is now omplete. 
Corollary 6.1. There exists a l1 -predual whi h is isomorphi to a quotient
of C (!! ) yet not isomorphi to a subspa e of C (), for all  < !1 .
Proof. Let K be the set of all probability measures on [1; !. Let also X1 =
X (K ), be the l1 -predual orresponding to K a ording to Theorem 5.1.
We denote by C the l1 -basis of X1  , onstru ted in the proof of Theorem
5.1. Let  < !1 and observe that there exists a subset of C whi h spans
a w - losed subspa e, Z , of X1 , w -isometri to X  . It follows now by

Corollary 1 of [9 (An alternative proof of this result for the ase of l1 -
preduals is given in [7.) that Z is ontra tively omplemented in X1 

via a w - ontinuous proje tion. Hen e, X is isometri to a ontra tively
omplemented subspa e of X1 . Corollary


6.1 now follows sin e X is not
isomorphi to a subspa e of C !! , for all  < !1 . 
7. Final remarks

The proof of Theorem 1.2 a tually shows that if K is homeomorphi to

[1; !! and  > 0, then there exists a 2-average of (i ) whi h is -disjoint
from K . This observation in turn implies, via Theorem 5.1, the existen e of
3

a subspa e of C ! isomorphi to a quotient of C (!! ) yet not isomorphi
!
to a subspa e of C (!! ). We do not know if su h a phenomenon o urs in
! 2

C ! and therefore we ask:
2

Question 1: Does there exist a subspa e of C !! isomorphi to a
quotient of C (!! ) yet not isomorphi to a subspa e of C (!! )?
A negative answer to this question yields that every omplemented sub-
2

spa e of C !! whose Szlenk-index is equal to !2 , is isomorphi to a sub-
spa e of C (!! ).
Let us say that the Bana h spa e X -embeds in the Bana h spa e Y ,
 > 0, if there exists a subspa e Z of Y isomorphi to X and su h that the
Bana h-Mazur distan e between X and Z is at most .
We next let X denote the l1 -predual orresponding to the w - losure in
l1 (!) of theset of the 1-averages of (n ). In other words, X = X (K ), where
w
K = A(1) . A ording to Theorem 5.1, X is the 0 -sum of a sequen e of
spa es (Xn ), ea h isomorphi to 0 . An argument similar to the one given
in the proof of Theorem 1.1 yields the following property of the sequen e
(Xn ): If (n ) is a sequen e in [1; !! ) and (n ) is a sequen e of positive reals
so that Xn n -embeds in C (n ),
for all n 2 N, then limn!1 n = 1. X is
2
isometri to a subspa e of C !! . We do not know if X is isomorphi to a
subspa e of C (!! ).
Question 2: Let X be a Bana h spa e isomorphi to the 0 -sum of a
sequen e (Xn ) of spa es isomorphi to 0 . Assume X is isomorphi to a
 A CLASS OF l1 -PREDUALS WHICH ARE ISOMORPHIC TO QUOTIENTS OF C (!! )13

subspa e of C (!! ). Does there exist  > 0 and a sequen e of ordinals (n )

in [1; !! ) so that Xn -embeds in C (n ), for all n 2 N?
Referen es

[1 D.E. Alspa h, A quotient of C (! ! ) whi h is not isomorphi to a subspa e of C (),

 < !1 , Israel J. Math. 33, (1980), 49{60.
[2 D.E. Alspa h, A l1 -predual whi h is not isometri to a quotient of C (), Contempo-

rary Math. 144, (1993), 9{14.

[3 D.E. Alspa h and Y. Benyamini, A geometri al property of C (K ) spa es, Israel J.

Math. 64, (1988), 179{194.

[4 Y. Benyamini, An extension theorem for separable Bana h spa es, Israel J. Math. 29,

(1978), 24{30.

[5 C. Bessaga and A. Pel zynski, Spa es of ontinuous fun tions IV, Studia Math. 19,
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[6 C. Bessaga and A. Pel zynski, On extreme points in separable onjugate spa es, Israel
J. Math. 4, (1966), 262{264.
[7 I. Gasparis, Dissertation, The University of Texas (1995).
P P
[8 W.B. Johnson and M. Zippin, On subspa es of quotients of ( Gn )lp and ( Gn ) 0 ,
Israel J. Math. 13, (1972), 311{316.

[9 A. Lazar and J. Lindenstrauss, On Bana h spa es whose duals are L1 spa es and their

representing matri es, A ta Math 126, (1971), 165{194.

[10 S. Mazurkiewi z and W. Sierpinski, Contribution a la topologie des ensembles denom-

rables, Fund. Math., (1920), 17{27.

[11 H.P. Rosenthal, On fa tors of C [0; 1 with non-separable dual, Israel J. Math. 13,

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Department of Mathemati s, Oklahoma State University, 401 Mathemati-

al S ien es, Stillwater, OK 74078-1058
E-mail address : ioagaspamath.okstate.edu