About the Connes embedding conjecture

In his celebrated paper in 1976, A. Connes casually remarked that any finite von Neumann algebra ought to be embedded into an ultraproduct of matrix algebras, which is now known as the Connes embedding conjecture or problem. This conjecture became one of the central open problems in the field of operator algebras since E. Kirchberg’s seminal work in 1993 that proves it is equivalent to a variety of other seemingly totally unrelated but important conjectures in the field. Since then, many more equivalents of the conjecture have been found, also in some other branches of mathematics such as noncommutative real algebraic geometry and quantum information theory. In this note, we present a survey of this conjecture with a focus on the algebraic aspects of it.     

Boundaries of reduced free group C*-algebras

We prove that the crossed product C*-algebra C*_r(, ) of a freegroup with its boundary sits naturally between the reducedgroup C*-algebra C*_r and its injective envelope I(C*_r). In otherwords, we have natural inclusion C*_r C*_r(, ) I(C*_r) of C*-algebras.     

Some prime factorization results for type II<Subscript>1</Subscript> factors

We prove several unique prime factorization results for tensor products of type II₁ factors coming from groups that can be realized either as subgroups of hyperbolic groups or as discrete subgroups of connected Lie groups of real rank 1. In particular, we show that if is isomorphic to a subfactor in , for some 2r_i,s_j, then mn. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000) Primary 46L10; Secondary 20F67     

C*-simplicity and the unique trace property for discrete groups

A discrete group is said to be C*-simple if its reduced C*-algebra is simple, and is said to have the unique trace property if its reduced C*-algebra has a unique tracial state. A dynamical characterization of C*-simplicity was recently obtained by the second and third named authors. In this paper, we introduce new methods for working with group and crossed product C*-algebras that allow us to take the study of C*-simplicity a step further, and in addition to settle the longstanding open problem of characterizing groups with the unique trace property. We give a new and self-contained proof of the aforementioned characterization of C*-simplicity. This yields a new characterization of C*-simplicity in terms of the weak containment of quasi-regular representations. We introduce a convenient algebraic condition that implies C*-simplicity, and show that this condition is satisfied by a vast class of groups, encompassing virtually all previously known examples as well as many new ones. We also settle a question of Skandalis and de la Harpe on the simplicity of reduced crossed products. Finally, we introduce a new property for discrete groups that is closely related to C*-simplicity, and use it to prove a broad generalization of a theorem of Zimmer, originally conjectured by Connes and Sullivan, about amenable actions.     

Boundary amenability of relatively hyperbolic groups

Let K be a fine hyperbolic graph and Γ be a group acting on K with finite quotient. We prove that Γ is exact provided that all vertex stabilizers are exact. In particular, a relatively hyperbolic group is exact if all its peripheral groups are exact. We prove this by showing that the group Γ acts amenably on a compact topological space. We include some applications to the theories of group von Neumann algebras and of measurable orbit equivalence relations.     

The Dixmier problem, lamplighters and Burnside groups

J. Dixmier asked in 1950 whether every non-amenable group admits uniformly bounded representations that cannot be unitarised. We provide such representations upon passing to extensions by abelian groups. This gives a new characterisation of amenability. Furthermore, we deduce that certain Burnside groups are non-unitarisable, answering a question raised by G. Pisier.     

On 𝒪ℒ∞ structures of nuclear C * -algebras

 We study the local operator space structure of nuclear C ^* -algebras. It is shown that a C ^* -algebra is nuclear if and only if it is an 𝒪ℒ_∞,λ space for some (and actually for every) λ>6. The 𝒪ℒ_∞ constant λ provides an interesting invariant

There is no separable universal -factor

Gromov constructed uncountably many pairwise nonisomorphic discrete groups with Kazhdan's property . We will show that no separable -factor can contain all these groups in its unitary group. In particular, no separable -factor can contain all separable -factors in it. We also show that the full group -algebras of some of these groups fail the lifting property.