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.     

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).     

Reidemeister torsion and the K-theory of von Neumann algebras

We introduce a topological-type invariant for a cocompact properly discontinuous action of a discrete group on a Riemannian manifold generalizing classical notions of Reidemeister torsion. It takes values in the weak algebraic K-theory of the von Neumann algebra of . We give basic tools for its computation like sum and product formulas and calculate it in several cases. It encompasses, for instance, the Alexander polynomial and is related to analytic torsion.