Norming Algebras and Automatic Complete Boundedness of Isomorphisms of Operator Algebras

We combine the notion of norming algebra introduced by Pop, Sinclair and Smith with a result of Pisier to show that if A_1 and A_2 are operator algebras, then any bounded epimorphism of A_1 onto A_2 is completely bounded provided that A_2 contains a norming C*-subalgebra. We use this result to give some insights into Kadison's Similarity Problem: we show that every faithful bounded homomorphism of a C*-algebra on a Hilbert space has completely bounded inverse, and show that a bounded representation of a C*-algebra is similar to a *-representation precisely when the image operator algebra \lambda-norms itself. We give two applications to isometric isomorphisms of certain operator algebras. The first is an extension of a result of Davidson and Power on isometric isomorphisms of CSL algebras. Secondly, we show that an isometric isomorphism between subalgebras A_i of C*-diagonals (C_i,D_i) (i=1,2) satisfying D_i \subseteq A_i \subseteq C_i extends uniquely to a *-isomorphism of the C*-algebras generated by A_1 and A_2; this generalizes results of Muhly-Qiu-Solel and Donsig-Pitts.Comment: 9 page

STRUCTURE FOR REGULAR INCLUSIONS

We study pairs (C,D) of unital C∗-algebras where D is an abelian C∗-subalgebra of C which is regular in C in the sense that the span of {v 2 C : vDv∗ [ v∗Dv D} is dense in C. When D is a MASA in C, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a completely positive unital map E of C into the injective envelope I(D) of D whose restriction to D is the identity on D. We show that the left kernel of E, L(C,D), is the unique closed two-sided ideal of C maximal with respect to having trivial intersection with D. When L(C,D) = 0, we show the MASA D norms C in the sense of Pop-Sinclair-Smith. We apply these results to significantly extend existing results in the literature on isometric isomorphisms of norm-closed subalgebras which lie between D and C. The map E can be used as a substitute for a conditional expectation in the construction of coordinates for C relative to D. We show that coordinate constructions of Kumjian and Renault which relied upon the existence of a faithful conditional expectation may partially be extended to settings where no conditional expectation exists. As an example, we consider the situation in which C is the reduced crossed product of a unital abelian C∗-algebra D by an arbitrary discrete group acting as automorphisms of D. We charac- terize when the relative commutant Dc of D in C is abelian in terms of the dynamics of the action of and show that when Dc is abelian, L(C,Dc) = (0). This setting produces examples where no conditional expectation of C onto Dc exists. In general, pure states of D do not extend uniquely to states on C. However, when C is separable, and D is a regular MASA in C, we show the set of pure states on D with unique state extensions to C is dense in D. We introduce a new class of well behaved state extensions, the compatible states; we identify compatible states when D is a MASA in C in terms of groups constructed from local dynamics near an element 2 ˆD. A particularly nice class of regular inclusions is the class of C∗-diagonals; each pair in this class has the extension property, and Kumjian has shown that coordinate systems for C∗-diagonals are particularly well behaved. We show that the pair (C,D) regularly embeds into a C∗-diagonal precisely when the intersection of the left kernels of the compatible states is trivial

INVARIANT SUBSPACES AND HYPER-REFLEXIVITY FOR FREE SEMIGROUP ALGEBRAS

In this paper, we obtain a complete description of the invariant subspace structure of an interesting new class of algebras which we call free semigroup algebras. This enables us to prove that they are reflexive, and moreover to obtain a quantitative measure of the distance to these algebras in terms of the invariant subspaces. Such algebras are called hyper-reflexive. This property is very strong, but it has been established in only a very few cases. Moreover the prototypes of this class of algebras are the natural candidate for a non-commutative analytic Toeplitz algebra on n variables. The case we make for this analogy is very compelling. In particular, in this paper, the key to the invariant subspace analysis is a good analogue of the Beurling theorem for invariant subspaces of the unilateral shift. This leads to a notion of inner-outer factorization in these algebras. In a sequel to this paper [13], we add to this evidence by showing that there is a natural homomorphism of the automorphism group onto the group of conformal automorphisms of the ball in Cn

Unique Pseudo-Expectations for C∗C^*-Inclusions

Given an inclusion D $\subseteq$ C of unital C*-algebras, a unital completely positive linear map $\Phi$ of C into the injective envelope I(D) of D which extends the inclusion of D into I(D) is a pseudo-expectation. The set PsExp(C,D) of all pseudo-expectations is a convex set, and for abelian D, we prove a Krein-Milman type theorem showing that PsExp(C,D) can be recovered from its extreme points. When C is abelian, the extreme pseudo-expectations coincide with the homomorphisms of C into I(D) which extend the inclusion of D into I(D), and these are in bijective correspondence with the ideals of C which are maximal with respect to having trivial intersection with D. Natural classes of inclusions have a unique pseudo-expectation (e.g., when D is a regular MASA in C). Uniqueness of the pseudo-expectation implies interesting structural properties for the inclusion. For example, when D $\subseteq$ C $\subseteq$ B(H) are W*-algebras, uniqueness of the pseudo-expectation implies that D' $\cap$ C is the center of D; moreover, when H is separable and D is abelian, we characterize which W*-inclusions have the unique pseudo-expectation property. For general inclusions of C*-algebras with D abelian, we characterize the unique pseudo-expectation property in terms of order structure; and when C is abelian, we are able to give a topological description of the unique pseudo-expectation property. Applications include: a) if an inclusion D $\subseteq$ C has a unique pseudo-expectation $\Phi$ which is also faithful, then the C*-envelope of any operator space X with D $\subseteq$ X $\subseteq$ C is the C*-subalgebra of C generated by X; b) for many interesting classes of C*-inclusions, having a faithful unique pseudo-expectation implies that D norms C. We give examples to illustrate the theory, and conclude with several unresolved questions.Comment: 26 page

Isomorphisms of lattices of Bures-closed bimodules over Cartan MASAs

For i = 1; 2, let (Mi;Di) be pairs consisting of a Cartan MASA Di in a von Neumann algebra Mi, let atom(Di) be the set of atoms of Di, and let Si be the lattice of Bures-closed Di bimodules in Mi. We show that when Mi have separable preduals, there is a lattice isomorphism between S1 and S2 if and only if the sets f(Q1;Q2) 2 atom(Di) atom(Di) : Q1MiQ2 6= (0)g have the same cardinality. In particular, when Di is nonatomic, Si is isomorphic to the lattice of projections in L1([0; 1];m) where m is Lebesgue measure, regardless of the isomorphism classes of M1 and M2

Absolutely Continuous Representations and a Kaplansky Density Theorem for Free Semigroup Algebras

We introduce notions of absolutely continuous functionals and representations on the non-commutative disk algebra $A_n$. Absolutely continuous functionals are used to help identify the type L part of the free semigroup algebra associated to a $*$-extendible representation $\sigma$. A $*$-extendible representation of $A_n$ is ``regular'' if the absolutely continuous part coincides with the type L part. All known examples are regular. Absolutely continuous functionals are intimately related to maps which intertwine a given $*$-extendible representation with the left regular representation. A simple application of these ideas extends reflexivity and hyper-reflexivity results. Moreover the use of absolute continuity is a crucial device for establishing a density theorem which states that the unit ball of $\sigma(A_n)$ is weak-$*$ dense in the unit ball of the associated free semigroup algebra if and only if $\sigma$ is regular. We provide some explicit constructions related to the density theorem for specific representations. A notion of singular functionals is also defined, and every functional decomposes in a canonical way into the sum of its absolutely continuous and singular parts.Comment: 26 pages, prepared with LATeX2e, submitted to Journal of Functional Analysi

Bimodules over Cartan MASAs in von Neumann Algebras, Norming Algebras, and Mercer's Theorem

In a 1991 paper, R. Mercer asserted that a Cartan bimodule isomorphism between Cartan bimodule algebras A_1 and A_2 extends uniquely to a normal *-isomorphism of the von Neumann algebras generated by A_1 and A_2 [13, Corollary 4.3]. Mercer's argument relied upon the Spectral Theorem for Bimodules of Muhly, Saito and Solel [15, Theorem 2.5]. Unfortunately, the arguments in the literature supporting [15, Theorem 2.5] contain gaps, and hence Mercer's proof is incomplete. In this paper, we use the outline in [16, Remark 2.17] to give a proof of Mercer's Theorem under the additional hypothesis that the given Cartan bimodule isomorphism is weak-* continuous. Unlike the arguments contained in [13, 15], we avoid the use of the Feldman-Moore machinery from [8]; as a consequence, our proof does not require the von Neumann algebras generated by the algebras A_i to have separable preduals. This point of view also yields some insights on the von Neumann subalgebras of a Cartan pair (M,D), for instance, a strengthening of a result of Aoi [1]. We also examine the relationship between various topologies on a von Neumann algebra M with a Cartan MASA D. This provides the necessary tools to parametrize the family of Bures-closed bimodules over a Cartan MASA in terms of projections in a certain abelian von Neumann algebra; this result may be viewed as a weaker form of the Spectral Theorem for Bimodules, and is a key ingredient in the proof of our version of Mercer's theorem. Our results lead to a notion of spectral synthesis for weak-* closed bimodules appropriate to our context, and we show that any von Neumann subalgebra of M which contains D is synthetic. We observe that a result of Sinclair and Smith shows that any Cartan MASA in a von Neumann algebra is norming in the sense of Pop, Sinclair and Smith.Comment: 21 pages, paper is a completely reworked and expanded version of an earlier preprint with a similar titl

Automatic closure of invariant linear manifolds for operator algebras

Kadison's transitivity theorem implies that, for irreducible representations of C*-algebras, every invariant linear manifold is closed. It is known that CSL algebras have this propery if, and only if, the lattice is hyperatomic (every projection is generated by a finite number of atoms). We show several other conditions are equivalent, including the conditon that every invariant linear manifold is singly generated. We show that two families of norm closed operator algebras have this property. First, let L be a CSL and suppose A is a norm closed algebra which is weakly dense in Alg L and is a bimodule over the (not necessarily closed) algebra generated by the atoms of L. If L is hyperatomic and the compression of A to each atom of L is a C*-algebra, then every linear manifold invariant under A is closed. Secondly, if A is the image of a strongly maximal triangular AF algebra under a multiplicity free nest representation, where the nest has order type -N, then every linear manifold invariant under A is closed and is singly generated.Comment: AMS-LaTeX, 15 pages, minor revision

Irreducible Maps and Isomorphisms of Boolean Algebras of Regular Open Sets and Regular Ideals

Let $\pi: Y\rightarrow X$ be a continuous surjection between compact Hausdorff spaces $Y$ and $X$ which is irreducible in the sense that if $F\subsetneq Y$ is closed, then $\pi(F)\neq X$. We exhibit isomorphisms between various Boolean algebras associated to this data: the regular open sets of $X$, the regular open sets of $Y$, the regular ideals of $C(X)$ and the regular ideals of $C(Y)$. We call $X$ and $Y$ Boolean equivalent if the regular open sets of $X$ and the regular open sets of $Y$ are isomorphic Boolean algebras. We give a characterization of when two compact metrizable spaces are Boolean equivalent; this characterization may be viewed as a topological version of the characterization of standard Borel spaces.Comment: 13 page

Structure for Regular Inclusions. II: Cartan envelopes, pseudo-expectations and twists

We introduce the notion of a Cartan envelope for a regular inclusion (C,D). When a Cartan envelope exists, it is the unique, minimal Cartan pair into which (C,D) regularly embeds. We prove a Cartan envelope exists if and only if (C,D) has the unique faithful pseudo-expectation property and also give a characterization of the Cartan envelope using the ideal intersection property. For any covering inclusion, we construct a Hausdorff twisted groupoid using appropriate linear functionals and we give a description of the Cartan envelope for (C,D) in terms of a twist whose unit space is a set of states on C constructed using the unique pseudo-expectation. For a regular MASA inclusion, this twist differs from the Weyl twist; in this setting, we show that the Weyl twist is Hausdorff precisely when there exists a conditional expectation of C onto D. We show that a regular inclusion with the unique pseudo-expectation property is a covering inclusion and give other consequences of the unique pseudo-expectation property.Comment: 47 page