The dynamics of Leavitt path algebras. (Q2437465)

Recall that two square nonnegative integer matrices \(A\) and \(B\) are called elementary shift equivalent, and denoted by \(A\sim_{ES}B\), if there are nonnegative matrices \(R\) and \(S\) such that \(A=RS\) and \(B=SR\). The equivalence relation \(\sim_S\) on square nonnegative integer matrices generated by elementary shift equivalence is called strong shift equivalence. The weaker notion of shift equivalence is defined in the following terms: the nonnegative integer matrices \(A\) and \(B\) are called shift equivalent if there are nonnegative matrices \(R\) and \(S\) such that \(A^l=RS\) and \(B^l=SR\), for some \(l\in\mathbb N\), and \(AR=RB\) and \(SA=BS\). The notion of the shift equivalence for matrices was introduced by \textit{R. F. Williams} [Ann. Math. (2) 98, 120-153 (1973; Zbl 0282.58008)] in an attempt to provide a computable machinery for determining the conjugacy between two shifts of finite type. The following results are proved in this paper: Let \(E\) and \(F\) be finite directed graphs with no sinks and sources and \(A_E\), \(A_F\) their respective adjacency matrices, then: \(\bullet\) The matrices \(A_E\) and \(A_F\) are shift equivalent if and only if there is an order preserving \(\mathbb Z[x,x^{-1}]\)-module isomorphism \(K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}(\mathcal L(E))\cong K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}(\mathcal L(E))\). \(\bullet\) If \(A_E\) and \(A_F\) are strongly shift equivalent then \(\mathcal L(E)\) and \(\mathcal L(F )\) are graded Morita equivalent. Conversely, if \(\mathcal L(E)\) and \(\mathcal L(F )\) are graded Morita equivalent, then \(A_E\) and \(A_F\) are shift equivalent. \(\bullet\) The strongly shift equivalence does not imply graded isomorphisms between Leavitt path algebras (see Example 18). \(\bullet\) Suppose \(\mathcal L(E)\) and \(\mathcal L(F)\) are purely infinite simple unital algebras. Then \(\mathcal L(E)\cong\mathcal L(F)\) if there is an order preserving \(\mathbb Z[x,x^{-1}]\)-module isomorphism \(K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}(\mathcal L(E))\cong K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}(\mathcal L(F))\). \(\bullet\) For a graph \(E\), let \(\mathcal P(E)\) be the associated path algebra and \(\text{Gr-}\mathcal P(E)\) be the category of \(\mathbb Z\)-graded right \(\mathcal P(E)\)-modules and \(\text{Fdim-}\mathcal P(E)\) be its full (Serre) subcategory of modules that are the sum of their finite-dimensional submodules. For the quotient category \(\text{QGr-}\mathcal P(E):=\text{Gr-}\mathcal P(E)/\text{Fdim-}\mathcal P(E)\) there is a result (Theorem 23) claiming that there is an ordered Abelian group isomorphism \(K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}(\mathcal L(E))\cong K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}(\mathcal L(F ))\) if and only if \(\text{QGr-}\mathcal P(E)\cong\text{QGr-}\mathcal P(F)\). The work also deals with the behaviour of the graded Grothendieck group on the product of the graphs. A formula is given that expresses the \(K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}\) of the product of the graphs as the tensor product of \(K_0^{\mathrm{gr}}\)'s of the graphs. The paper provides some evidence that the graded Grothendieck group is an invariant which could provide a bridge between the theories of graph \(C^*\)-algebras and Leavitt path algebras via symbolic dynamics.