Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2018
Let $\mathcal{A}$ be a Banach algebra with a bounded right approximate identity and let
$\mathcal{B}$ be a closed ideal of
$\mathcal{A}$. We study the relationship between the right identities of the double duals
${{\mathcal{B}}^{*}}^{*}$ and
${{\mathcal{A}}^{**}}$ under the Arens product. We show that every right identity of
${{\mathcal{B}}^{*}}^{*}$ can be extended to a right identity of
${{\mathcal{A}}^{**}}$ in some sense. As a consequence, we answer a question of Lau and Ülger, showing that for the Fourier algebra
$A\left( G \right)$ of a locally compact group
$G$, an element
$\phi \in A{{\left( G \right)}^{**}}$ is in
$A\left( G \right)$ if and only if
$A\left( G \right)\phi \subseteq A\left( G \right)$ and
$E\phi =\phi$ for all right identities
$E$ of
$A{{\left( G \right)}^{**}}$. We also prove some results about the topological centers of
${{\mathcal{B}}^{**}}$ and
${{\mathcal{A}}^{**}}$.