Mapping class groups and outer automorphism groups of free groups are C*-simple

Abstract

We prove that the reduced C*-algebras of centerless mapping class groups and outer automorphism groups of free groups are simple, as are the irreducible pure subgroups of mapping class groups and the analogous subgroups of outer automorphism groups of free groups.Comment: 10 pages, amstex. J. Functional Analysis, to be publishe