Heisenberg modules as function spaces

Let $\Delta$ be a closed, cocompact subgroup of $G \times \widehat{G}$, where $G$ is a second countable, locally compact abelian group. Using localization of Hilbert $C^*$-modules, we show that the Heisenberg module $\mathcal{E}_{\Delta}(G)$ over the twisted group $C^*$-algebra $C^*(\Delta,c)$ due to Rieffel can be continuously and densely embedded into the Hilbert space $L^2(G)$. This allows us to characterize a finite set of generators for $\mathcal{E}_{\Delta}(G)$ as exactly the generators of multi-window (continuous) Gabor frames over $\Delta$, a result which was previously known only for a dense subspace of $\mathcal{E}_{\Delta}(G)$. We show that $\mathcal{E}_{\Delta}(G)$ as a function space satisfies two properties that make it eligible for time-frequency analysis: Its elements satisfy the fundamental identity of Gabor analysis if $\Delta$ is a lattice, and their associated frame operators corresponding to $\Delta$ are bounded.Comment: 24 pages; several changes have been made to the presentation, while the content remains essentially unchanged; to appear in Journal of Fourier Analysis and Application

A dynamical approach to non-uniform density theorems for coherent systems

We introduce a notion of covolume for point sets in locally compact groups that simultaneously generalizes the covolume of a lattice and the reciprocal of the Beurling density for amenable, unimodular groups. This notion of covolume arises naturally from the transverse measure theory of the associated hull dynamical system of a point set. Using groupoid techniques, we prove a density theorem for coherent frames over unimodular groups using this new notion of covolume that generalizes both the previous theorems for uniform sampling in general unimodular groups and those for non-uniform sampling in compactly generated groups of polynomial growth. This density theorem also covers important new examples, in particular model sets arising from cut-and-project schemes.Comment: 30 page

Time-frequency analysis on the adeles over the rationals

We show that the construction of Gabor frames in $L^{2}(\mathbb{R})$ with generators in $\mathbf{S}_{0}(\mathbb{R})$ and with respect to time-frequency shifts from a rectangular lattice $\alpha\mathbb{Z}\times\beta\mathbb{Z}$ is equivalent to the construction of certain Gabor frames for $L^{2}$ over the adeles over the rationals and the group $\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{Q}_{p}$. Furthermore, we detail the connection between the construction of Gabor frames on the adeles and on $\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{Q}_{p}$ with the construction of certain Heisenberg modules.Comment: minor revisions, added more references, added a Balian-Low type result in the form of Proposition 4.

Smooth lattice orbits of nilpotent groups and strict comparison of projections

This paper provides sufficient density conditions for the existence of smooth vectors generating a frame or Riesz sequence in the lattice orbit of a square-integrable projective representation of a nilpotent Lie group. The conditions involve the product of lattice co-volume and formal dimension, and complement Balian-Low type theorems for the non-existence of smooth frames and Riesz sequences at the critical density. The proof hinges on a connection between smooth lattice orbits and generators for an explicitly constructed finitely generated Hilbert $C^*$-module. An important ingredient in the approach is that twisted group $C^*$-algebras associated to finitely generated nilpotent groups have finite decomposition rank, hence finite nuclear dimension, which allows us to deduce that any matrix algebra over such a simple $C^*$-algebra has strict comparison of projections.Comment: 36 page

Deformations of Gabor frames on the adeles and other locally compact abelian groups

We generalize Feichtinger and Kaiblinger's theorem on linear deformations of uniform Gabor frames to the setting of a locally compact abelian group $G$. More precisely, we show that Gabor frames over lattices in the time-frequency plane of $G$ with windows in the Feichtinger algebra are stable under small deformations of the lattice by an automorphism of ${G}\times \widehat{G}$. The topology we use on the automorphisms is the Braconnier topology. We characterize the groups in which the Balian-Low theorem for the Feichtinger algebra holds as exactly the groups with noncompact identity component. This generalizes a theorem of Kaniuth and Kutyniok on the zeros of the Zak transform on locally compact abelian groups. We apply our results to a class of number-theoretic groups, including the adele group associated to a global field.Comment: 37 page

The density theorem for projective representations via twisted group von Neumann algebras

We consider converses to the density theorem for square-integrable, irreducible, projective, unitary group representations restricted to lattices using the dimension theory of Hilbert modules over twisted group von Neumann algebras. We show that the restriction of such a σ-projective unitary representation πof a unimodular, second-countable group G to a lattice Γ extends to a Hilbert module over the twisted group von Neumann algebra of (Γ, σ). We then compute the center-valued von Neumann dimension of this Hilbert module. For abelian groups with 2-cocycle satisfying Kleppner’s condition, we show that the center-valued von Neumann dimension reduces to the scalar value dπ vol(G/Γ), where dπ is the formal dimension of π and vol(G/Γ) is the covolume of Γ in G. We apply our results to characterize the existence of multiwindow super frames and Riesz sequences associated to π and Γ. In particular, we characterize when a lattice in the time-frequency plane of a second-countable, locally compact abelian group admits a Gabor frame or Gabor Riesz sequence

Heisenberg modules and Balian–Low theorems - Applications of operator algebras to Gabor analysis

The main way to study a periodic signal is to decompose it into a sum of simple signals, namely sine waves. However, when a signal changes substantially over time, such as a piece of music, different methods are needed. One method is to use Gabor frames. A Gabor frame represents a given signal in a way that emphasizes the signal’s frequency content at each point in time. For instance, a Gabor frame will represent an audio signal analogously to how sheet music is written. Constructing good Gabor frames is not an easy task, and this problem has connections to many other areas in mathematics. In my dissertation, I have connected this problem to an area called operator algebras. A basic theorem about Gabor frames is the Balian-Low theorem, which is rooted in the uncertainty principle from quantum mechanics. I have shown that this theorem has a conceptual interpretation in operator algebras. Moreover, one can generally talk about Gabor frames in an abstract setting, namely in the context of an abelian topological group. I have completely classified the groups to which the Balian-Low theorem extends. One of the groups to which it extends is the rational adele group from number theory

Free actions of polynomial growth Lie groups and classifiable C*-algebras

We show that any free action of a connected Lie group of polynomial growth on a finite dimensional locally compact space has finite tube dimension. This is shown to imply that theassociated crossed product C*-algebra has finite nuclear dimension. As an application we showthat C*-algebras associated with certain aperiodic point sets in connected Lie groups of polynomial growth are classifiable. Examples include cut-and-project sets constructed from irreduciblelattices in products of connected nilpotent Lie groups.

On sufficient density conditions for lattice orbits of relative discrete series

This note provides new criteria on a unimodular group G and a discrete series representation (π, Hπ) of formal degree dπ> 0 under which any lattice Γ ≤ G with vol(G/Γ)dπ≤1 (resp. vol(G/Γ)dπ≥1) admits g∈ Hπ such that π(Γ) g is a frame (resp. Riesz sequence). The results apply to all projective discrete series of exponential Lie groups.Analysi