Let B be a complex topological unital algebra. The left joint spectrum of a set S ⊂ B is defined by the formula ${\sigma }_l\left(S\right)$ = ${\left(\lambda \left(s\right)\right)}_{s\in S}\in {ℂ}^S|{s-\lambda \left(s\right)}_{s\in S}$ generates a proper left ideal$.$Using the Schur lemma and the Gelfand-Mazur theorem we prove that ${\sigma }_l\left(S\right)$ has the spectral mapping property for sets S of pairwise commuting elements if (i) B is an m-convex algebra with all maximal left ideals closed, or (ii) B is a locally convex Waelbroeck algebra. The right ideal version of this result is also valid.

This paper gives some very elementary proofs of results of Aupetit, Ransford and others on the variation of the spectral radius of a holomorphic family of elements in a Banach algebra. There is also some brief discussion of a notorious unsolved problem in automatic continuity theory.

We investigate the weak spectral mapping property (WSMP) $\overline{\mu ̂\left(\sigma \right(A\left)\right)}=\sigma \left(\mu ̂\left(A\right)\right)$, where A is the generator of a ₀-semigroup in a Banach space X, μ is a measure, and μ̂(A) is defined by the Phillips functional calculus. We consider the special case when X is a Banach algebra and the operators $e^{At}$, t ≥ 0, are multipliers.

The paper studies spectral sets of elements of Banach algebras as the zeros of holomorphic functions and describes them in terms of existence of idempotents. A new decomposition theorem characterizing spectral sets is obtained for bounded linear operators.

We give a necessary and a sufficient condition for a subset $S$ of a locally convex Waelbroeck algebra $𝒜$ to have a non-void left joint spectrum ${\sigma }_l\left(S\right).$ In particular, for a Lie subalgebra $L\subset 𝒜$ we have ${\sigma }_l\left(L\right)\ne \varnothing$ if and only if $[L,L]$ generates in $𝒜$ a proper left ideal. We also obtain a version of the spectral mapping formula for a modified left joint spectrum. Analogous theorems for the right joint spectrum and the Harte spectrum are also valid.