An inner amenable group whose von Neumann algebra does not have property Gamma (Q444057): Difference between revisions

A \(\mathrm{II}_1\) factor \(M\) with trace \(\tau\) is said to have \textit{property \(\Gamma\)} if there is a sequence \(( u_n )_{n=1}^\infty\) of unitaries in \(M\) such that \(\tau(u_n) = 0\) for all \(n\) and \(u_n x - xu_n \to 0\) in \(L^2(M,\tau)\) for all \(x \in M\). A (countable) discrete group \(G\) is called \textit{inner amenable} if there is a finitely additive set function \(m\) from the subsets of \(G \setminus \{ e \}\) with \(m(G \setminus \{ e \}) = 1\) such that \(m(xAx^{-1}) = m(A)\) for all \(A \subset G \setminus \{ e \}\) and all \(x \in G\): this notion was introduced by \textit{E.\ G.\ Effros} in [``Property \(\Gamma\) and inner amenability'', Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 47, 483--486 (1975; Zbl 0321.22011)]. Let \(LG\) denote the group von Neumann algebra of \(G\), i.e., the von Neumann algebra on \(\ell^2(G)\) generated by all left translations. In [op. cit.], Effros proved that if \(LG\) is a \(\mathrm{II}_1\) factor with property \(\Gamma\), then \(G\) is inner amenable. He also asked if the converse holds true: Does \(LG\) always have property \(\Gamma\) whenever \(G\) is an inner amenable group with infinite conjugacy classes? After this open problem attracted the attention of many researcher over the years, the author solves it in the present paper.