Revisiting the Farey AF Algebra

In a recent paper, F. Boca investigates the AF algebra \mathfrakA{{\mathfrak{A}}} associated with the Farey-Stern-Brocot sequence. We show that \mathfrakA{{\mathfrak{A}}} coincides with the AF algebra \mathfrakM₁{{\mathfrak{M_{1}}}} introduced by the present author in 1988. As proved in that paper (Adv. Math., vol.68.1), the K ₀-group of \mathfrakA{\mathfrak{A}} is the lattice-ordered abelian group M₁{\mathcal{M}_{1}} of piecewise linear functions on the unit interval, each piece having integer coefficients, with the constant 1 as the distinguished order unit. Using the elementary properties of M₁{\mathcal{M}_{1}} we can give short proofs of several results in Boca’s paper. We also prove many new results: among others, \mathfrakA{{\mathfrak{A}}} is a *-subalgebra of Glimm universal algebra, tracial states of \mathfrakA{{\mathfrak{A}}} are in one-one correspondence with Borel probability measures on the unit real interval, all primitive ideals of \mathfrakA{{\mathfrak{A}}} are essential. We describe the automorphism group of \mathfrakA{{\mathfrak{A}}} . For every primitive ideal I of \mathfrakA{{{\mathfrak{A}}}} we compute K ₀(I) and K₀(\mathfrakA/I){{K_{0}(\mathfrak{A}/I)}}.