AlgebraicK-theory of von Neumann algebras

To every von Neumann algebra, one can associate a (multiplicative) determinant defined on the invertible elements of the algebra with range a subgroup of the Abelian group of the invertible elements of the center of the von Neumann algebra. This determinant is a normalization of the usual determinant for finite von Neumann algebras of type I, for the type II₁-case it is the Fuglede-Kadison determinant, and for properly infinite von Neumann algebras the determinant is constant equal to 1. It is proved that every invertible element of determinant 1 is a product of a finite number of commutators. This extends a result of T. Fack and P. de la Harpe for II₁-factors. As a corollary, it follows that the determinant induces an injection from the algebraicK ₁-group of the von Neumann algebra into the Abelian group of the invertible elements of the center. Its image is described. Another group,K ₁ ^w (A), which is generated by elements in matrix algebras overA that induce injective right multiplication maps, is also computed. We use the Fuglede-Kadison determinant to detect elements in the Whitehead group Wh(G).Partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-9103327.     

The Bass Conjecture and Group von Neumann Algebras

The precise relationship between the Bass conjecture for the Hattori–Stallings trace for projective ZG-modules and the map from reduced K-theory of ZG to reduced K-theory of the von Neumann algebra, NG, of G, of G is determined. As a consequence it is shown this map is zero for all groups G. It is also shown that the map induced on K-theory from the inclusion of NG to the ring of closed, densely defined operators affiliated to NG is an isomorphism. Together with the above result, this gives some positive evidence for the validity of the Division Ring Conjecture for torsion free groups.     

Products of projections in von Neumann algebras

We describe the elements of von Neumann algebras which can be represented as products of orthogonal projections and idempotents, and estimate the minimal number of terms in the product.     

A note on cocycle-conjugate endomorphisms of von Neumann algebras

We show that two cocycle-conjugate endomorphisms of an arbitrary von Neumann algebra that satisfy certain stability conditions are conjugate endomorphisms, when restricted to some specific von Neumann subalgebras. As a consequence of this result, we obtain a new criterion for conjugacy of Powers shift endomorphisms acting on factors of type

     

On maximal injective subalgebras of tensor products of von Neumann algebras

Let Mi be a von Neumann algebra, and Bi be a maximal injective von Neumann subalgebra of Mi, i=1,2. If M₁ has separable predual and the center of B₁ is atomic, e.g., B₁ is a factor, then is a maximal injective von Neumann subalgebra of . This partly answers a question of Popa.     

The similarity problem for Fourier algebras and corepresentations of group von Neumann algebras

Let G be a locally compact group, and let A(G) and VN(G) be its Fourier algebra and group von Neumann algebra, respectively. In this paper we consider the similarity problem for A(G): Is every bounded representation of A(G) on a Hilbert space H similar to a *-representation? We show that the similarity problem for A(G) has a negative answer if and only if there is a bounded representation of A(G) which is not completely bounded. For groups with small invariant neighborhoods (i.e. SIN groups) we show that a representation π:A(G)→B(H) is similar to a *-representation if and only if it is completely bounded. This, in particular, implies that corepresentations of VN(G) associated to non-degenerate completely bounded representations of A(G) are similar to unitary corepresentations. We also show that if G is a SIN, maximally almost periodic, or totally disconnected group, then a representation of A(G) is a *-representation if and only if it is a complete contraction. These results partially answer questions posed in Effros and Ruan (2003) [7] and Spronk (2002) [25].     

The Reidemeister zeta function with applications to Nielsen theory and a connection with Reidemeister torsion

In this paper we study, the Reidemeister zeta function. We prove rationality and functional equations of the Reidemeister zeta function of an endomorphism of finite group. We also obtain these results for eventually commutative endomorphisms. These results are applied to the theory of Reidemeister and Nielsen numbers of self-maps of topological spaces. Our method is to identify the Reidemeister number of a group endomorphism with the number of fixed points in the unitary dual. As a consequence, we show that the Reidemeister torsion of the mapping torus of the unitary dual is a special value of the Reidemeister zeta function. We also prove certain congruences for Reidemeister numbers which are equivalent to a Euler product formula for the Reidemeister zeta function. The congruences are the same as those found by Dold for Lefschetz numbers.     

On the notion of relative property (T) for inclusions of von Neumann algebras

We prove that the notion of rigidity (or relative property (T)) for inclusions of finite von Neumann algebras recently defined by the second author is equivalent to a weaker property, in which no “continuity constants” are required. The proof is by contradiction and uses infinite products of completely positive maps, regarded as correspondences.     

Graph von Neumann Algebras

In this paper, we will define a graph von Neumann algebra over a fixed von Neumann algebra M, where G is a countable directed graph, by a crossed product algebra = M × _α , where is the graph groupoid of G and α is the graph-representation. After defining a certain conditional expectation from onto its M-diagonal subalgebra we can see that this crossed product algebra is *-isomorphic to an amalgamated free product where = vN(M × _α where is the subset of consisting of all reduced words in {e, e ^–1} and M × _α is a W ^*-subalgebra of as a new graph von Neumann algebra induced by a graph G _e . Also, we will show that, as a Banach space, a graph von Neumann algebra is isomorphic to a Banach space ⊕ where is a certain subset of the set E(G)* of all words in the edge set E(G) of G. The author really appreciates to Prof F. Radulescu and Prof P. Jorgensen for the valuable discussion and kind advice. Also, he appreciates all supports from St. Ambrose Univ.. In particular, he thanks to Prof T. Anderson and Prof V. Vega for the useful conversations and suggestions.     

Additivity for the parametrized topological Euler characteristic and Reidemeister torsion

Dwyer, Weiss, and Williams have recently defined the notions of the parametrized topological Euler characteristic and the parametrized topological Reidemeister torsion which are invariants of bundles of compact topological manifolds. We show that these invariants satisfy additivity formulas paralleling the additive properties of the classical Euler characteristic and the Reidemeister torsion of CW-complexes.     

On transitive algebras containing a standard finite von Neumann subalgebra

Let M be a finite von Neumann algebra acting on a Hilbert space H and A be a transitive algebra containing M^′. In this paper we prove that if A is 2-fold transitive, then A is strongly dense in B(H). This implies that if a transitive algebra containing a standard finite von Neumann algebra (in the sense of [U. Haagerup, The standard form of von Neumann algebras, Math. Scand. 37 (1975) 271-283]) is 2-fold transitive, then A is strongly dense in B(H). Non-selfadjoint algebras related to free products of finite von Neumann algebras, e.g., LFn and , are studied. Brown measures of certain operators in are explicitly computed.     

Reidemeister torsion for linear representations and Seifert surgery on knots

We study an invariant of a 3-manifold which consists of Reidemeister torsion for linear representations which pass through a finite group. We show a Dehn surgery formula on this invariant and compute that of a Seifert manifold over S². As a consequence we obtain a necessary condition for a result of Dehn surgery along a knot to be Seifert fibered, which can be applied even in a case where abelian Reidemeister torsion gives no information.     

Relative matched pairs of finite groups from depth two inclusions of von Neumann algebras to quantum groupoids

In this work we give a generalization of matched pairs of (finite) groups to describe a general class of depth two inclusions of factor von Neumann algebras and the C^∗-quantum groupoids associated with, using double groupoids.     

Lie Triple Derivations on von Neumann Algebras

Let A be a von Neumann algebra with no central abelian projections. It is proved that if an additive map δ :A → A satisfies δ([[a, b], c]) = [[δ(a), b], c] + [[a, δ(b)], c] +[[a, b], δ(c)] for any a, b, c∈ A with ab = 0(resp. ab = P, where P is a fixed nontrivial projection in A), then there exist an additive derivation d from A into itself and an additive map f :A → ZA vanishing at every second commutator [[a, b], c] with ab = 0(resp.ab = P) such that δ(a) = d(a) + f(a) for any a∈ A.     

Affine Hecke algebras and the Schubert calculus

Using a combinatorial approach that avoids geometry, this paper studies the structure of K_T(G/B), the T-equivariant K-theory of the generalized flag variety G/B. This ring has a natural basis (the double Grothendieck polynomials), where is the structure sheaf of the Schubert variety X_w. For rank two cases we compute the corresponding structure constants of the ring K_T(G/B) and, based on this data, make a positivity conjecture for general G which generalizes the theorems of M. Brion (for K(G/B)) and W. Graham (for H_T^*(G/B)). Let [X^λ]K_T(G/B) be the class of the homogeneous line bundle on G/B corresponding to the character of T indexed by λ. For general G we prove “Pieri–Chevalley formulas” for the products , , , and , where λ is dominant. By using the Chern character and comparing lowest degree terms the products which are computed in this paper also give results for the Grothendieck polynomials, double Schubert polynomials, and ordinary Schubert polynomials in, respectively K(G/B), H_T^*(G/B) and H^*(G/B).     

Tracial gauge norms on finite von Neumann algebras satisfying the weak Dixmier property

In this paper we set up a representation theorem for tracial gauge norms on finite von Neumann algebras satisfying the weak Dixmier property in terms of Ky Fan norms. Examples of tracial gauge norms on finite von Neumann algebras satisfying the weak Dixmier property include unitarily invariant norms on finite factors (type II₁ factors and Mn(C)) and symmetric gauge norms on L^∞[0,1] and Cn. As the first application, we obtain that the class of unitarily invariant norms on a type II₁ factor coincides with the class of symmetric gauge norms on L^∞[0,1] and von Neumann's classical result [J. von Neumann, Some matrix-inequalities and metrization of matrix-space, Tomsk. Univ. Rev. 1 (1937) 286-300] on unitarily invariant norms on Mn(C). As the second application, Ky Fan's dominance theorem [Ky Fan, Maximum properties and inequalities for the eigenvalues of completely continuous operators, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 37 (1951) 760-766] is obtained for finite von Neumann algebras satisfying the weak Dixmier property. As the third application, some classical results in non-commutative Lp-theory (e.g., non-commutative Hölder's inequality, duality and reflexivity of non-commutative Lp-spaces) are obtained for general unitarily invariant norms on finite factors. We also investigate the extreme points of N(M), the convex compact set (in the pointwise weak topology) of normalized unitarily invariant norms (the norm of the identity operator is 1) on a finite factor M. We obtain all extreme points of N(M₂(C)) and some extreme points of N(Mn(C)) (n?3). For a type II₁ factor M, we prove that if t (0?t?1) is a rational number then the Ky Fan tth norm is an extreme point of N(M).