NonstableK-Theory for operator algebras

We show that the homotopy groups of the group of quasi-unitaries inC ^*-algebras form a homology theory on the category of allC ^*-algebras which becomes topologicalK-theory when stabilized. We then show how this functorial setting, in particular the half-exactness of the involved functors, helps to calculate the homotopy groups of the group of unitaries in a series ofC ^*-algebras. The calculations include the case of all AbelianC ^*-algebras and allC ^*-algebras of the formAB, whereA is one of the Cuntz algebras O_n n=2, 3, ..., an infinite dimensional simpleAF-algebra, the stable multiplier or corona algebra of a-unitalC ^*-algebra, a properly infinite von Neumann algebra, or one of the projectionless simpleC ^*-algebras constructed by Blackadar.     

Classification of extensions of classifiable -algebras

For a certain class of extensions of C^*-algebras in which B and A belong to classifiable classes of C^*-algebras, we show that the functor which sends to its associated six term exact sequence in K-theory and the positive cones of K₀(B) and K₀(A) is a classification functor. We give two independent applications addressing the classification of a class of C^*-algebras arising from substitutional shift spaces on one hand and of graph algebras on the other. The former application leads to the answer of a question of Carlsen and the first named author concerning the completeness of stabilized Matsumoto algebras as an invariant of flow equivalence. The latter leads to the first classification result for nonsimple graph C^*-algebras.     

Equivalence of the C*-Algebras qℂ and C 0(ℝ2) in the Asymptotic Category

The results of Kasparov, Connes, Higson, and Loring imply the coincidence of the functors [[qℂ ⊗ K, B ⊗ K]] = [[C ₀(ℝ²) ⊗ K, B ⊗ K]] for any C*-algebra B; here[[A, B]] denotes the set of homotopy classes of asymptotic homomorphisms from A to B. Inthe paper, this assertion is strengthened; namely, it is shown that the algebras qℂ ⊗ K and C ₀(ℝ²) ⊗ K are equivalent in the category whose objects are C*-algebras and morphisms are classes of homotopic asymptotic homomorphisms. Some geometric properties of the obtained equivalence are studied. Namely, the algebras qℂ ⊗ K and C ₀(ℝ²) ⊗ K are represented as fields of C*-algebras; it is proved that the equivalence is not fiber-preserving, i.e., is does not take fibers to fibers. It is also proved that the algebras under consideration are not homotopy equivalent.__________Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, vol. 77, no. 5, 2005, pp. 788–796.Original Russian Text Copyright ©2005 by T. V. Shul’man.     

CertainC*-algebras with real rank zero and their corona and multiplier algebras: II

We first determine the homotopy classes of nontrivial projections in a purely infinite simpleC*-algebraA, in the associated multiplier algebraM(A) and the corona algebraM A/A in terms ofK _*(A). Then we describe the generalized Fredholm indices as the group of homotopy classes of non-trivial projections ofA; consequently, we determine theK _*-groups of all hereditaryC*-subalgebras of certain corona algebras. Secondly, we consider a group structure of *-isomorphism classes of hereditaryC*-subalgebras of purely infinite simpleC*-algebras. In addition, we prove that ifA is aC*-algebra of real rank zero, then each unitary ofA, in caseA it unital, each unitary ofM(A) and ofM(A)/A, in caseA is nonunital but -unital, can be factored into a product of a unitary homotopic to the identity and a unitary matrix whose entries are all partial isometries (with respect to a decomposition of the identity).Partially supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.     

On the <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis>-Theory of Graph <Emphasis Type="Italic">C</Emphasis><Superscript>*</Superscript>-Algebras

We classify graph C ^*-algebras, namely, Cuntz-Krieger algebras associated to the Bass-Hashimoto edge incidence operator of a finite graph, up to strict isomorphism. This is done by a purely graph theoretical calculation of the K-theory of the C ^*-algebras and the method also provides an independent proof of the classification up to Morita equivalence and stable equivalence of such algebras, without using the boundary operator algebra. A direct relation is given between the K ₁-group of the algebra and the cycle space of the graph. We thank Jakub Byszewski for his input in Sect. 2.8. The position of the unit in K ₀( _Ч) was guessed based on some example calculations by Jannis Visser in his SCI 291 Science Laboratory at Utrecht University College.     

The Atiyah-Segal completion theorem for C*-algebras

We generalize the Atiyah-Segal completion theorem to C ^*-algebras as follows. Let A be a C ^*-algebra with a continuous action of the compact Lie group G. If K _* ^G (A) is finitely generated as an R(G)-module, or under other suitable restrictions, then the I(G)-adic completion K _* ^G (A) is isomorphic to RK _*([A C(EG)]^G), where RK _* is representable K-theory for - C ^*-algebras and EG is a classifying space for G. As a corollary, we show that if and are homotopic actions of G, and if K _*(C ^* (G,A,)) and K _*(C ^* (G,A,)) are finitely generated, then K _*(C ^*(G,A,))K_*(C ^* (G,A,)). We give examples to show that this isomorphism fails without the completions. However, we prove that this isomorphism does hold without the completions if the homotopy is required to be norm continuous.This work was partially supported by an NSF Graduate Fellowship and by an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship.     

On the Homotopy Type of the Unitary Group and the Grassmann Space of Purely Infinite Simple C*-Algebras

We completely determine the homotopy groups _n (.) of the unitary group and the space of projections of purely infinite simple C ^*-algebras in terms of K-theory. We also prove that the unitary group of a purely infinite simple C ^*-algebra A is a contractible topological space if and only if K0(A) = K1(A) = {0}, and again if and only if the unitary group of the associated generalized Calkin algebra L(HA) / K(HA) is contractible. The well-known Kuiper's theorem is extended to a new class of C ^*-algebras.     

On classifying monotone complete algebras of operators

We give a classification of “small” monotone complete C ^*-algebras by order properties. We construct a corresponding semigroup. This classification filters out von Neumann algebras; they are mapped to the zero of the classifying semigroup. We show that there are 2 ^c distinct equivalence classes (where c is the cardinality of the continuum). This remains true when the classification is restricted to special classes of monotone complete C ^*-algebras e.g. factors, injective factors, injective operator systems and commutative algebras which are subalgebras of ℓ^∞. Some examples and applications are given.      

Enveloping Σ-C *-algebra of a smooth Frechet algebra crossed product by ℝ,K-theory and differential structure inC *-algebras

Given anm-tempered strongly continuous action α of ℝ by continuous^*-automorphisms of a Frechet^*-algebraA, it is shown that the enveloping ↡-C ^*-algebraE(S(ℝ, A^∞, α)) of the smooth Schwartz crossed productS(ℝ,A ^∞, α) of the Frechet algebra A^∞ of C^∞-elements ofA is isomorphic to the Σ-C ^*-crossed productC ^*(ℝ,E(A), α) of the enveloping Σ-C ^*-algebraE(A) ofA by the induced action. WhenA is a hermitianQ-algebra, one getsK-theory isomorphismRK _*(S(ℝ, A^∞, α)) =K ^*(C ^*(ℝ,E(A), α) for the representableK-theory of Frechet algebras. An application to the differential structure of aC ^*-algebra defined by densely defined differential seminorms is given.     

On the Universal C*-Algebra Generated by a Partial Isometry

A universal C*-algebra is constructed which is generated by a partial isometry. Using grading on this algebra we construct an analog of Cuntz algebras which gives a homotopical interpretation of KK-groups. It is proved that this algebra is homotopy equivalent up to stabilization by 2×2 matrices to M ₂(C). Therefore those algebras are KK-isomorphic.     

The smallness problem for -algebras

Akemann showed that any von Neumann algebra with a weak^* separable dual space has a faithful normal representation on a separable Hilbert space. He posed the question: If a C^*-algebra has a weak^* separable state space, must it have a faithful representation on a separable Hilbert space? Wright solved this question negatively and showed that a unital C^*-algebra has the weak^* separable state space if and only if it has a unital completely positive map, into a type I factor on a separable Hilbert space, whose restriction to the self-adjoint part induces an order isomorphism. He called such a C^*-algebra almost separably representable. We say that a unital C^*-algebra is small if it has a unital complete isometry into a type I factor on a separable Hilbert space. In this paper we show that a unital C^*-algebra is small if and only if the state spaces of all n by n matrix algebras over the C^*-algebra are weak^*-separable. It is natural to ask whether almost separably representable algebras are small or not. We settle this question positively for simple C^*-algebras but the general question remains open.     

Extremal K -Theory and Index for C*-Algebras

We develop the general theory for a new functor K _e on the category of C ^*-algebras. The extremal K-set, K _e (A), of a C ^*-algebra A is defined by means of homotopy classes of extreme partial isometries. It contains K ₁ (A) and admits a partially defined addition extending the addition in K ₁ (A), so that we have an action of K ₁ (A) on K _e (A). We show how this functor relates to K ₀ and K ₁, and how it can be used as a carrier of information relating the various K-groups of ideals and quotients of A. The extremal K-set is then used to extend the classical theory of index for Fredholm and semi-Fredholm operators.     

Mapping Surgery to Analysis I: Analytic Signatures

We develop the theory of analytically controlled Poincaré complexes over C ^*-algebras. We associate a signature in C ^*-algebra K-theory to such a complex, and we show that it is invariant under bordism and homotopy. The authors were supported in part by NSF Grant DMS-0100464.     

Complete positivity,tensor products and C*-nuclearity for inverse limits of C*-algebras

The paper aims at developing a theory of nuclear (in the topological algebraic sense) pro-C^*-algebras (which are inverse limits of C^*-algebras) by investigating completely positive maps and tensor products. By using the structure of matrix algebras over a pro-C^*-algebra, it is shown that a unital continuous linear map between pro-C^*-algebrasA andB is completely positive iff by restriction, it defines a completely positive map between the C^*-algebrasb(A) andb(B) consisting of all bounded elements ofA andB. In the metrizable case,A andB are homeomorphically isomorphic iff they are matricially order isomorphic. The injective pro-C^*-topology α and the projective pro-C^*-topology v on A⊗B are shown to be minimal and maximal pro-C^*-topologies; and α coincides with the topology of biequicontinous convergence iff eitherA orB is abelian. A nuclear pro-C^*-algebraA is one that satisfies, for any pro-C^*-algebra (or a C^*-algebra)B, any of the equivalent requirements; (i) α =v onA ⊗B (ii)A is inverse limit of nuclear C^*-algebras (iii) there is only one admissible pro-C^*-topologyon A⊗B (iv) the bounded partb(A) ofA is a nuclear C⊗-algebra (v) any continuous complete state map A→B^* can be approximated in simple weak^* convergence by certain finite rank complete state maps. This is used to investigate permanence properties of nuclear pro-C^*-algebras pertaining to subalgebras, quotients and projective and inductive limits. A nuclearity criterion for multiplier algebras (in particular, the multiplier algebra of Pedersen ideal of a C^*-algebra) is developed and the connection of this C^*-algebraic nuclearity with Grothendieck’s linear topological nuclearity is examined. A σ-C^*-algebraA is a nuclear space iff it is an inverse limit of finite dimensional C^*-algebras; and if abelian, thenA is isomorphic to the algebra (pointwise operations) of all scalar sequences.     

Topological *-algebras withC*-enveloping algebras II

UniversalC*-algebrasC*(A) exist for certain topological *-algebras called algebras with aC*-enveloping algebra. A Frechet *-algebraA has aC*-enveloping algebra if and only if every operator representation ofA mapsA into bounded operators. This is proved by showing that every unbounded operator representation π, continuous in the uniform topology, of a topological *-algebraA, which is an inverse limit of Banach *-algebras, is a direct sum of bounded operator representations, thereby factoring through the enveloping pro-C*-algebraE(A) ofA. Given aC*-dynamical system (G,A,α), any topological *-algebraB containingC _c (G,A) as a dense *-subalgebra and contained in the crossed productC*-algebraC*(G,A,α) satisfiesE(B) =C*(G,A,α). IfG = ℝ, ifB is an α-invariant dense Frechet *-subalgebra ofA such thatE(B) =A, and if the action α onB ism-tempered, smooth and by continuous *-automorphisms: then the smooth Schwartz crossed productS(ℝ,B,α) satisfiesE(S(ℝ,B,α)) =C*(ℝ,A,α). WhenG is a Lie group, theC ^∞-elementsC ^∞(A), the analytic elementsC ^ω(A) as well as the entire analytic elementsC ^є(A) carry natural topologies making them algebras with aC*-enveloping algebra. Given a non-unitalC*-algebraA, an inductive system of idealsI _α is constructed satisfyingA =C*-ind limI _α; and the locally convex inductive limit ind limI _α is anm-convex algebra with theC*-enveloping algebraA and containing the Pedersen idealK _a ofA. Given generatorsG with weakly Banach admissible relationsR, we construct universal topological *-algebraA(G, R) and show that it has aC*-enveloping algebra if and only if (G, R) isC*-admissible.     

Non-Pointed Strongly Protomodular Theories

We give criterions for strong protomodularity and prove that the strong protomodularity of an algebraic theory is inherited by its models in a category with finite limits. We give examples of strongly protomodular theories with several constants: C ^*-algebras, rings, Heyting algebras and Boolean algebras.     

KK-groups for generalized operator algebras. I

Kasparov's bivariant K-theory is extended to inverse limits of C ^*-algebras. It is shown how to define the intersection product for algebras satisfying a separability condition and the properties of the product are explained. The Bott periodicity theorem is proved.     

The Algebraic K-Theory of Operator Algebras

We the study the algebraic K-theory of C *-algebras, forgetting the topology. The main results include a proof that commutative C*-algebras are K-regular in all degrees (that is, all theirN ^T K _iand extensions of the Fischer-Prasolov Theorem comparing algebraic and topological K-theory with finite coefficients.     

Homotopy after tensoring with uniformly hyperfiniteC*-algebras

The paper is devoted to the homotopy classification ofC*-algebras of continuous functions on a finite CW-complex with values in a UHF-algebra. The relevant invariants are based on (connective)K-theory.