Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 April 2009
Let G be an exponential Lie group. We study primitive ideals (i.e. kernels of irreducible *-representations of L1(G)), with bounded approximate units (b.a.u.). We prove a result relating the existence of b.a.u. in certain primitive ideals with the geometry of the corresponding Kirillov orbits. This yields for a solvable group of class 2, a characterization of the primitive ideals with b.a.u.