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.