On the topology of the Kasparov groups and its applications

In this paper we establish a direct connection between stable approximate unitary equivalence for *-homomorphisms and the topology of the KK-groups which avoids entirely C^*-algebra extension theory and does not require nuclearity assumptions. To this purpose we show that a topology on the Kasparov groups can be defined in terms of approximate unitary equivalence for Cuntz pairs and that this topology coincides with both Pimsner's topology and the Brown-Salinas topology. We study the generalized Rørdam group , and prove that if a separable exact residually finite dimensional C^*-algebra satisfies the universal coefficient theorem in KK-theory, then it embeds in the UHF algebra of type 2^∞. In particular such an embedding exists for the C^*-algebra of a second countable amenable locally compact maximally almost periodic group.     

Spectral theory for algebraic combinations of Toeplitz and composition operators

We determine the essential spectra of algebraic combinations of Toeplitz operators with continuous symbol and composition operators induced by a class of linear-fractional non-automorphisms of the unit disk. The operators in question act on the Hardy space H² on the unit disk. Our method is to realize the C^*-algebra that they generate as an extension of the compact operators by a concrete C^*-algebra whose invertible elements are easily characterized.     

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 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.     

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.     

Spectrum and analytical indices of the C-algebra of Wiener-Hopf operators

We study multivariate generalisations 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, given by the action of Euclidean space on a certain compactification. Using groupoid methods, we construct composition series for the Wiener-Hopf C^∗-algebra by a detailed study of this compactification. We compute the spectrum, and express homomorphisms in K-theory induced by the symbol maps which arise by the subquotients of the composition series in analytical terms. Namely, these symbols maps turn out to be given by an analytical family index of a continuous family of Fredholm operators. In a subsequent paper, we also obtain a topological expression of these indices.     

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.     

Decomposing the essential spectrum

We use C^*-algebra theory to provide a new method of decomposing the essential spectra of self-adjoint and non-self-adjoint Schrödinger operators in one or more space dimensions.     

Decomposition rank and absorbing extensions of type I algebras

We prove the following: Let A and B be separable C^*-algebras. Suppose that B is a type I C^*-algebra such that

(i)

B has only infinite dimensional irreducible *-representations, and

(ii)

B has finite decomposition rank.

If

0→B→C→A→0     

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 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.     

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.     

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.     

The fixed point property in -triples and preduals of -triples

We prove that for every member X in the class of real or complex JB^*-triples or preduals of JBW^*-triples, the following assertions are equivalent:

(1) X has the fixed point property.

(2) X has the super fixed point property.

(3) X has normal structure.

(4) X has uniform normal structure.

(5) The Banach space of X is reflexive.

As a consequence, a real or complex C^*-algebra or the predual of a real or complex W^*-algebra having the fixed point property must be finite-dimensional.

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.     

Bessel capacities on compact manifolds and their relation to Poisson capacities

A motivation for this paper comes from the role of Choquet capacities in the study of semilinear elliptic partial differential equations. In particular, the recent progress in the classification of all positive solutions of Lu=uα in a bounded smooth domain E⊂Rd was achieved by using, as a tool, capacities on a smooth manifold ∂E. Either the Poisson capacities (associated with the Poisson kernel in E) or the Bessel capacities (related to the Bessel kernel) have been used. In this and many other applications there is no advantage in choosing any special member in a class of equivalent capacities. (Two capacities are called equivalent if their ratio is bounded away from 0 and ∞.) In the literature Bessel capacities are considered mostly in the space Rd. We introduce two versions of Bessel capacities on a compact N-dimensional manifold. A class Cap?,p of equivalent capacities is defined, for ?p?N, on every compact Lipschitz manifold. Another class CB?,p is defined (for all ?>0, p>1) in terms of a diffusion process on a C²-manifold. These classes coincide when both are defined. If the manifold is the boundary of a bounded C²-domain E⊂Rd, then both versions of the Bessel capacities are equivalent to the Poisson capacities.     

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.