Banach-Stone Theorems for maps preserving common zeros

Let $X$ and $Y$ be completely regular spaces and $E$ and $F$ be Hausdorff topological vector spaces. We call a linear map $T$ from a subspace of $C(X,E)$ into $C(Y,F)$ a emph{Banach-Stone map} if it has the form $Tf(y) = S_{y}(f(h(y))$ for a family of linear operators $S_{y} : E to F$, $y in Y$, and a function $h: Y to X$. In this paper, we consider maps having the property: cap^{k}_{i=1}Z(f_{i}) eqemptysetiffcap^{k}_{i=1}Z(Tf_{i}) eq emptyset, where $Z(f) = {f = 0}$. We characterize linear bijections with property (Z) between spaces of continuous functions, respectively, spaces of differentiable functions (including $C^{infty}$), as Banach-Stone maps. In particular, we confirm a conjecture of Ercan and Onal: Suppose that $X$ and $Y$ are realcompact spaces and $E$ and $F$ are Hausdorff topological vector lattices (respectively, $C^{*}$-algebras). Let $T: C(X,E) to C(Y,F)$ be a vector lattice isomorphism (respectively, *-algebra isomorphism) such that Z(f) eqemptysetiff Z(Tf) eqemptyset. Then $X$ is homeomorphic to $Y$ and $E$ is lattice isomorphic (respectively, $C^{*}$-isomorphic) to $F$. Some results concerning the continuity of $T$ are also obtained.