C*-Categories

The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed study of thebasic theory of C^*-categories. The study includes some examplesof C^*-categories that occur naturally in geometric applications,such as groupoid C^*-categories, and C^*-categories associatedto structures in coarse geometry. We conclude the paper witha brief survey of Hilbert modules over C^*-categories. 2000 MathematicalSubject Classification: 18D99, 46L05, 46L08.     

Ordered C*-Modules

In this first part of a study of ordered operator spaces, wedevelop the basic theory of ‘ordered C^*-bimodules’.A crucial role is played by ‘open tripotents’, aJB^*-triple variant of Akemann's notion of open projection. 2000Mathematics Subject Classification 46L08, 47L07 (primary), 46L07,47B60, 47L05 (secondary).     

Rank Distributions on Coarse Spaces and Ideal Structure of Roe Algebras

The notions of controlled truncations for operators in the Roealgebras C^* (X) of a coarse space (X, ) with uniformly locallyfinite coarse structure, and rank distributions on (X, ) areintroduced. It is shown that the controlled propagation operatorsin an ideal I of C^* (X) are exactly the controlled truncationsof elements in I. It follows that the lattice of the idealsof C^* (X) in which controlled propagation operators are denseis isomorphic to the lattice of all rank distributions on (X,). If X is a discrete metric space with Yu's property A, thenthe ideal structure of the Roe algebra C^* (X is completely determinedby the rank distributions on X. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification46L80, 46L89.     

C*-Algebras Characterized by Ergodic Actions of the n-Torus

Using basic harmonic analysis on the n-torus, it is shown thatthe non-commutative n-tori are the only primitive C*-algebras(up to isomorphism) on which the n-torus Tⁿ acts freely andergodically. An explicit construction recovers the generatingunitaries in a natural way from the action. 2000 MathematicsSubject Classification 46L55.     

Factorization in finite-codimensional ideals of group algebras

Let G be a -compact, locally compact group and I be a closed2-sided ideal with finite codimension in L¹(G). It is shownthat there are a closed left ideal L having a right boundedapproximate identity and a closed right ideal R having a leftbounded approximate identity such that I = L + R. The proofuses ideas from the theory of boundaries of random walks ongroups. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: primary 43A20;secondary 42A85, 43A07, 46H10, 46H40, 60B11.     

Cohomology of Hopf C*-Algebras and Hopf Von Neumann Algebras

We define two canonical cohomology theories for Hopf C^*-algebrasand for Hopf von Neumann algebras (with coefficients in theircomodules). We then study the situations when these cohomologiesvanish. The cases of locally compact groups and compact quantumgroups are considered in more detail. E-mail: c.k.ng{at}qub.ac.uk2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: primary 46L05, 46L55;secondary 43A07, 22D25.     

Existence of Feller Cocycles on a C*-Algebra

The quantum stochastic differential equation is considered on a unital C^*-algebra, with separablenoise dimension space. Necessary conditions on the matrix ofbounded linear maps for the existence of a completely positivecontractive solution are shown to be sufficient. It is knownthat for completely positive contraction processes, k satisfiessuch an equation if and only if k is a regular Markovian cocycle.‘Feller’ refers to an invariance condition analogousto probabilistic terminology if the algebra is thought of asa non-commutative topological space. 2000 Mathematics SubjectClassification 81S25, 46L07, 46L53, 47D06.     

Hopf C*-Algebras

In this paper we define and study Hopf C^*-algebras. Roughlyspeaking, a Hopf C^*-algebra is a C^*-algebra A with a comultiplication: A M(A A) such that the maps a b (a)(1 b) and a (a 1)(b)have their range in A A and are injective after being extendedto a larger natural domain, the Haagerup tensor product A _hA. In a purely algebraic setting, these conditions on are closelyrelated to the existence of a counit and antipode. In this topologicalcontext, things turn out to be much more subtle, but neverthelessone can show the existence of a suitable counit and antipodeunder these conditions. The basic example is the C^*-algebra C₀(G) of continuous complexfunctions tending to zero at infinity on a locally compact groupwhere the comultiplication is obtained by dualizing the groupmultiplication. But also the reduced group C^*-algebra of a locally compact group with thewell-known comultiplication falls in this category. In factall locally compact quantum groups in the sense of Kustermansand the first author (such as the compact and discrete ones)as well as most of the known examples are included. This theory differs from other similar approaches in that thereis no Haar measure assumed. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 46L65, 46L07, 46L89.     

Linear Systems and Quotients of Projective Space

A complete characterization of the categorical quotients of(P¹)ⁿ by the diagonal action of SL(2, C) with respect to anypolarization is given by M. Polito, in ‘SL(2, C)-quotientsde (P¹)ⁿ’, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris Sér. I 321 (1995)1577–1582. In this paper, these categorical quotientsare obtained by certain linear systems on P^n–3, dependingon the given polarization. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification14L24, 14L30     

Complex Convexity and Vector-Valued Littlewood-Paley Inequalities

Let 2 p > , and let X be a complex Banach space. It is shownthat X is p-uniformly PL-convex if and only if there exists > 0 such that , for all f H^p(X). Applications to embeddings between vector-valued BMOAspaces defined via Poisson integral or Carleson measures areprovided. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 46B20, 46L52.     

Permanent Weak Amenability of Group Algebras of Free Groups

We show that all derivations from the group algebra l¹(G) ofa free group into its nth dual, where n is a positive even integer,are inner. Combined with the known result for odd values ofn, this shows that these algebras are permanently weakly amenable.1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 46M20, 43A20.     

The Heat Flow of the CCR Algebra

Let Pf(x) = –if'(x) and Qf(x) = xf(x) be the canonicaloperators acting on an appropriate common dense domain in L²(R).The derivations D_P(A) = i(PA–AP) and D_Q(A) = i(QA–AQ)act on the *-algebra A of all integral operators having smoothkernels of compact support, for example, and one may considerthe noncommutative ‘Laplacian’, L = + , as a linear mapping of A into itself. L generates a semigroup of normal completely positive linearmaps on B(L₂(R)), and this paper establishes some basic propertiesof this semigroup and its minimal dilation to an E₀-semigroup.In particular, the author shows that its minimal dilation ispure and has no normal invariant states, and he discusses thesignificance of those facts for the interaction theory introducedin a previous paper. There are similar results for the canonical commutation relationswith n degrees of freedom, where 1 n < . 2000 MathematicsSubject Classification 46L57 (primary), 46L53, 46L65 (secondary).     

Homological Properties of Modules Over Group Algebras

Let G be a locally compact group, and let L¹ (G) be the Banachalgebra which is the group algebra of G. We consider a varietyof Banach left L¹ (G)-modules over L¹ (G), and seek to determineconditions on G that determine when these modules are eitherprojective or injective or flat in the category. The answerstypically involve G being compact or discrete or amenable. Forexample, in the case where G is discrete and 1 < p < ,we find that the module ^p (G) is injective whenever G is amenable,and that, if it is amenable, then G is ‘pseudo-amenable’,a property very close to that of amenability. 2000 MathematicsSubject Classification 46H25, 43A20.     

Grassmannians and Cluster Algebras

This paper follows the program of study initiated by S. Fominand A. Zelevinsky, and demonstrates that the homogeneous coordinatering of the Grassmannian G(k, n) is a cluster algebra of geometrictype. Those Grassmannians that are of finite cluster type areidentified and their cluster variables are interpreted geometricallyin terms of configurations of points in C P². 2000 MathematicsSubject Classification 22E46, 05Exx.     

Nest Representations of Directed Graph Algebras

This paper is a comprehensive study of the nest representationsfor the free semigroupoid algebra L_G of a countable directedgraph G as well as its norm-closed counterpart, the tensor algebraT⁺(G). We prove that the finite-dimensional nest representations separatethe points in L_G, and a fortiori, in T⁺(G). The irreduciblefinite-dimensional representations separate the points in L_Gif and only if G is transitive in components (which is equivalentto being semisimple). Also the upper triangular nest representationsseparate points if and only if for every vertex x T(G) supportinga cycle, x also supports at least one loop edge. We also study faithful nest representations. We prove that L_G(or T⁺(G) admits a faithful irreducible representation if andonly if G is strongly transitive as a directed graph. More generally,we obtain a condition on G which is equivalent to the existenceof a faithful nest representation. We also give a conditionthat determines the existence of a faithful nest representationfor a maximal type N nest. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification47L80, 47L55, 47L40.     

A Note on Positivity of Elementary Operators

We show that operators on n x n matrices which are representablein the form (where a_i andb_i are n x n matrices) and are k-positive for must be completely positive. As a consequence, elementaryoperators on a C^*-algebra with minimal length l which are k-positivefor must be completely positive. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 47B47, 46L05, 47B65.     

On the Volume Ratio of Two Convex Bodies

Let K and L be two convex bodies in Rⁿ. The volume ratio vr(K,L) of K and L is defined by vr(K, L = inf(|K|/|T(L)|)^1/n, wherethe infimum is over all affine transformations T of Rⁿ for whichT(L) K. It is shown in this paper that vr(K, L) , where c > 0 is an absolute constant. This isoptimal up to the logarithmic term. 2000 Mathematics SubjectClassification 52A40, 46B07 (primary); 52A21, 52A20 (secondary).     

Banach Spaces Whose Algebras of Operators are Unitary: A Holomorphic Approach

An element u of a norm-unital Banach algebra A is said to beunitary if u is invertible in A and satisfies ||u|| = ||u^–1||= 1. The norm-unital Banach algebra A is called unitary if theconvex hull of the set of its unitary elements is norm-densein the closed unit ball of A. If X is a complex Hilbert space,then the algebra BL(X) of all bounded linear operators on Xis unitary by the Russo–Dye theorem. The question of whetherthis property characterizes complex Hilbert spaces among complexBanach spaces seems to be open. Some partial affirmative answersto this question are proved here. In particular, a complex Banachspace X is a Hilbert space if (and only if) BL(X) is unitaryand, for Y equal to X, X* or X** there exists a biholomorphicautomorphism of the open unit ball of Y that cannot be extendedto a surjective linear isometry on Y. 2000 Mathematics SubjectClassification 46B04, 46B10, 46B20.     

On the Morita Equivalence of Tensor Algebras

We develop a notion of Morita equivalence for general C^*-correspondencesover C^*-algebras. We show that if two correspondences are Moritaequivalent, then the tensor algebras built from them are stronglyMorita equivalent in the sense developed by Blecher, Muhly andPaulsen. Also, the Toeplitz algebras are strongly Morita equivalentin the sense of Rieffel, as are the Cuntz–Pimsner algebras.Conversely, if the tensor algebras are strongly Morita equivalent,and if the correspondences are aperiodic in a fashion that generalizesthe notion of aperiodicity for automorphisms of C^*-algebras,then the correspondences are Morita equivalent. This generalizesa venerated theorem of Arveson on algebraic conjugacy invariantsfor ergodic, measure-preserving transformations. The notionof aperiodicity, which also generalizes the concept of fullConnes spectrum for automorphisms, is explored; its role inthe ideal theory of tensor algebras and in the theory of theirautomorphisms is investigated. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification:46H10, 46H20, 46H99, 46M99, 47D15, 47D25.     

Regularity of the Fractional Maximal Function

The purpose of this work is to show that the fractional maximaloperator has somewhat unexpected regularity properties. Themain result shows that the fractional maximal operator mapsL^p-spaces boundedly into certain first-order Sobolev spaces.It is also proved that the fractional maximal operator preservesfirst-order Sobolev spaces. This extends known results for theHardy-Littlewood maximal operator. 2000 Mathematics SubjectClassification 42B25, 46E35.