Separable states and positive maps

Using the natural duality between linear functionals on tensor products of C^∗-algebras with the trace class operators on a Hilbert space H and linear maps of the C^∗-algebra into B(H), we study the relationship between separability, entanglement and the Peres condition of states and positivity properties of the linear maps.     

An index theorem for Wiener-Hopf operators

We study the multivariate generalisation of the classical Wiener-Hopf algebra, which is the C^∗-algebra generated by the Wiener-Hopf operators, given by convolutions restricted to convex cones. By the work of Muhly and Renault, this C^∗-algebra is known to be isomorphic to the reduced C^∗-algebra of a certain restricted action groupoid. It admits a composition series, and therefore, a ‘symbol’ calculus. Using groupoid methods, we obtain, in the framework of Kasparov's bivariant KK-theory, a topological expression of the index maps associated to these symbol maps in terms of geometric-topological data of the underlying convex cone. This generalises an index theorem by Upmeier concerning Wiener-Hopf operators on symmetric cones. Our result covers a wide class of cones containing polyhedral and homogeneous cones.     

Realizations of AF-algebras as graph algebras, Exel-Laca algebras, and ultragraph algebras

We give various necessary and sufficient conditions for an AF-algebra to be isomorphic to a graph C^∗-algebra, an Exel-Laca algebra, and an ultragraph C^∗-algebra. We also explore consequences of these results. In particular, we show that all stable AF-algebras are both graph C^∗-algebras and Exel-Laca algebras, and that all simple AF-algebras are either graph C^∗-algebras or Exel-Laca algebras. In addition, we obtain a characterization of AF-algebras that are isomorphic to the C^∗-algebra of a row-finite graph with no sinks.     

The resolvent algebra: A new approach to canonical quantum systems

The standard C^∗-algebraic version of the algebra of canonical commutation relations, the Weyl algebra, frequently causes difficulties in applications since it neither admits the formulation of physically interesting dynamical laws nor does it incorporate pertinent physical observables such as (bounded functions of) the Hamiltonian. Here a novel C^∗-algebra of the canonical commutation relations is presented which does not suffer from such problems. It is based on the resolvents of the canonical operators and their algebraic relations. The resulting C^∗-algebra, the resolvent algebra, is shown to have many desirable analytic properties and the regularity structure of its representations is surprisingly simple. Moreover, the resolvent algebra is a convenient framework for applications to interacting and to constrained quantum systems, as we demonstrate by several examples.     

The algebra of harmonic functions for a matrix-valued transfer operator

We analyze matrix-valued transfer operators. We prove that the fixed points of transfer operators form a finite-dimensional C^∗-algebra. For matrix weights satisfying a low-pass condition we identify the minimal projections in this algebra as correlations of scaling functions, i.e., limits of cascade algorithms.     

Linear maps preserving the minimum and reduced minimum moduli

We describe linear maps from a C^∗-algebra onto another one preserving different spectral quantities such as the minimum modulus, the surjectivity modulus, and the reduced minimum modulus.     

The ideal property, the projection property, continuous fields and crossed products

Let A be the C^∗-algebra associated to an arbitrary continuous field of C^∗-algebras. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for A to have the ideal property and, if moreover A is separable, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for A to have the projection property. Some applications of these results are given. We also prove that “many” crossed products of commutative C^∗-algebras by discrete, amenable groups have the projection property, generalizing some of our previous results.     

The range of united K-theory

We prove that the united K-theory functor is a surjective functor from the category of real simple separable purely infinite C^∗-algebras to the category of countable acyclic CRT-modules. As a consequence, we show that every complex Kirchberg algebra satisfying the universal coefficient theorem is the complexification of a real C^∗-algebra.     

The H-covariant strong Picard groupoid

The notion of H-covariant strong Morita equivalence is introduced for ^*-algebras over C=R(i) with an ordered ring R which are equipped with a ^*-action of a Hopf ^*-algebra H. This defines a corresponding H-covariant strong Picard groupoid which encodes the entire Morita theory. Dropping the positivity conditions one obtains H-covariant ^*-Morita equivalence with its H-covariant ^*-Picard groupoid. We discuss various groupoid morphisms between the corresponding notions of the Picard groupoids. Moreover, we realize several Morita invariants in this context as arising from actions of the H-covariant strong Picard groupoid. Crossed products and their Morita theory are investigated using a groupoid morphism from the H-covariant strong Picard groupoid into the strong Picard groupoid of the crossed products.     

Non-commutative generalisations of Urysohn's lemma and hereditary inner ideals

We establish several generalisations of Urysohn's lemma in the setting of JB^∗-triples which provide full answers to Problems 1.12 and 1.13 in Fernández-Polo and Peralta (2007) [22]. These results extend the previous generalisations obtained by C.A. Akemann, G.K. Pedersen and L.G. Brown in the setting of C^∗-algebras. A generalised Kadison's transitivity theorem is established for finite sums of pairwise orthogonal compact tripotents in JBW^∗-triples. We introduce the notion of positively open tripotent in the bidual of a JB^∗-triple as an extension of a concept which was already considered in the setting of ternary rings of operators. We investigate the connections appearing between positively open tripotents and hereditary inner ideals.     

Strength of convergence in the orbit space of a transformation group

Let (G,X) be a second-countable transformation group with G acting freely on X. It is shown that measure-theoretic accumulation of the action and topological strength of convergence in the orbit space X/G provide equivalent ways of quantifying the extent of nonproperness of the action. These notions are linked via the representation theory of the transformation-group C^∗-algebra C₀(X)?G.     

Functional calculus and ∗-regularity of a class of Banach algebras II

In this article, we define a natural Banach ∗-algebra for a C^∗-dynamical system (A,G,α) which is slightly bigger than L¹(G;A) (they are the same if A is finite-dimensional). We will show that this algebra is ∗-regular if G has polynomial growth. The main result in this article extends the two main results in [C.W. Leung, C.K. Ng, Functional calculus and ∗-regularity of a class of Banach algebras, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., in press].     

On the spectral analysis of many-body systems

We describe the essential spectrum and prove the Mourre estimate for quantum particle systems interacting through k-body forces and creation-annihilation processes which do not preserve the number of particles. For this we compute the “Hamiltonian algebra” of the system, i.e. the C^∗-algebra C generated by the Hamiltonians we want to study, and show that, as in the N-body case, it is graded by a semilattice. Hilbert C^∗-modules graded by semilattices are involved in the construction of C. For example, if we start with an N-body system whose Hamiltonian algebra is CN and then we add field type couplings between subsystems, then the many-body Hamiltonian algebra C is the imprimitivity algebra of a graded Hilbert CN-module.     

On cocycle twisting of compact quantum groups

We provide a class of examples of compact quantum groups and unitary 2-cocycles on them, such that the twisted quantum groups are non-compact, but still locally compact quantum groups (in the sense of Kustermans and Vaes). This also gives examples of cocycle twists where the underlying C^∗-algebra of the quantum group changes.     

The Elliott conjecture for Villadsen algebras of the first type

We study the class of simple C^∗-algebras introduced by Villadsen in his pioneering work on perforated ordered K-theory. We establish six equivalent characterisations of the proper subclass which satisfies the strong form of Elliott's classification conjecture: two C^∗-algebraic (Z-stability and approximate divisibility), one K-theoretic (strict comparison of positive elements), and three topological (finite decomposition rank, slow dimension growth, and bounded dimension growth). The equivalence of Z-stability and strict comparison constitutes a stably finite version of Kirchberg's characterisation of purely infinite C^∗-algebras. The other equivalences confirm, for Villadsen's algebras, heretofore conjectural relationships between various notions of good behaviour for nuclear C^∗-algebras.     

Strength of convergence in the orbit space of a groupoid

Let G be a second-countable locally-compact Hausdorff groupoid with a Haar system, and let {xn} be a sequence in the unit space G(0) of G. We show that the notions of strength of convergence of {xn} in the orbit space G(0)/G and measure-theoretic accumulation along the orbits are equivalent ways of realising multiplicity numbers associated to a sequence of induced representation of the groupoid C^?-algebra.     

The higher fixed point theorem for foliations I. Holonomy invariant currents

In this paper, we prove a higher Lefschetz formula for foliations in the presence of a closed Haefliger current. To this end, we associate with such a current an equivariant cyclic cohomology class of Connes' C^∗-algebra of the foliation, and compute its pairing with the localized equivariant K-theory in terms of local contributions near the fixed points.     

Semigroup crossed products and the induced algebras of lattice-ordered groups

Let (G,G₊) be a quasi-lattice-ordered group with positive cone G₊. Laca and Raeburn have shown that the universal C^∗-algebra C^∗(G,G₊) introduced by Nica is a crossed product BG₊α_×G₊ by a semigroup of endomorphisms. The goal of this paper is to extend some results for totally ordered abelian groups to the case of discrete lattice-ordered abelian groups. In particular given a hereditary subsemigroup H₊ of G₊ we introduce a closed ideal IH₊ of the C^∗-algebra BG₊. We construct an approximate identity for this ideal and show that IH₊ is extendibly α-invariant. It follows that there is an isomorphism between C^∗-crossed products and B₊(G/H)β_×G₊. This leads to our main result that B₊(G/H)β_×G₊ is realized as an induced C^∗-algebra .