New results on unbounded derivations and ergodic groups of automorphisms (Q762729)

This paper surveys and extends recent results obtained in joint work between the author and \textit{O. Bratteli}, and \textit{G. A. Elliott}. The three authors solved in J. reine angew. Math. 346, 166-193 (1984; Zbl 0515.46057), a decomposition problem for unbounded derivations which was proposed by S. Sakai at the Kingston conference. Earlier partial results had been obtained by H. Takai. Let \({\mathfrak A}\) be a \(C^*\)-algebra, and let \({\mathcal D}\) be a dense *-subalgebra of \({\mathfrak A}\). Let \({\mathcal L}\) be a finite-dimensional Lie algebra of *-derivatives which map \({\mathcal D}\) into \({\mathcal D}\). We say that \({\mathcal L}\) defines the differentiable structure if every *-derivation, \(\delta\) : \(D\to {\mathfrak A}\) decomposes uniquely, \(\delta =\delta_ 0+{\tilde \delta}\) with \({\tilde \delta}\) approximately inner. The paper under discussion finds the differentiable structure for a class of \(C^*\)-algebras which includes the irrational rotation algebras \({\mathfrak A}_{\theta}\). It also discusses (with examples) a crucial difference between the two cases for \({\mathfrak A}_{\theta}:1^ o\) \(\theta\) irrational algebraic, and \(2^ o\) \(\theta\) transcendental. In particular, in case \(2^ o\), examples are given where the component \({\tilde \delta}\) in the decomposition is unbounded, even though \(\delta\) is known to map the algebra of \(C^{\infty}\) elements in \({\mathfrak A}_{\theta}\) into itself. Several decomposition results for Lie algebras of unbounded derivations are also included. Later joint work between Bratteli, Goodman and Jørgensen showed recently that different classes of \(C^*\)-algebras (for example, the Cuntz-algebras) have completely different differentiable structure. Decomposition results are not valid in that context and instead the Cuntz algebras carry a ''rigid'' Lie algebra of smooth derivations.