Character space of an Abelian L1 group algebra ($\Delta (L^1(G))\cong \hat{G}$)

For a locally compact Hausdorff Abelian group, each continuous unitary character defines an algebra character by $f\mapsto \int f(x)\chi (x)dx$. Conversely, if $\Phi$ is a nonzero algebra character and $\Phi (g)\ne 0$, the ratio $\Phi (T_{x}g)/\Phi (g)$ is independent of $g$, continuous and multiplicative. Translation isometries bound all its integer powers, so its modulus is one. The convolution formula $f\ast g=\int f(x)T_{x}gdx$ recovers $\Phi (f)=\int f\chi$. The Gelfand topology corresponds to the compact-open topology on the Pontryagin dual group; conjugating the characters gives the alternative Fourier sign convention.