Contractions in von Neumann algebras (Q1908176)

Contractions with spectrum contained in the unit circle \(S^1=\{z:|z|=1\}\) can be very different from unitary operators. However, as the authors prove, in finite von Neumann algebras of Hilbert space operators the only contractions with \(\sigma(T) \subseteq S^1\) are the unitaries. (Remind that a separable von Neumann algebra is finite, if it has a finite faithful normal trace \(\tau\).) The proof is based on a clever use of the operator kernel \[ K_{r,t}= (I-re^{-it} T)^{-1}+ (I-re^{it}T^*)^{-1}-I, \] where \(T\) is a contraction with \(\sigma(T) \subseteq S^1\) and \(0\leq r<1\), \(t\in\mathbb{R}\). First, the authors show the existence of a probability measure \(\nu_T\) on \(S^1\) defined by \(\nu_T= \lim_{r\to 1}\tau(K_{r,t}(T)) {{dt}\over{2\pi}}\) and such that \(\tau(f(T))= \int^{2\pi}_0 f(e^{it}) d\nu_T(t)\) for every function \(f\) holomorphic on a neighborhood of the closed unit disc. Next, the nice properties of \(K_{r,t}\) provide the fundamental relation \(\tau(f(T^*))= \tau(f(T^{-1}))\) for every function \(f\) holomorphic on a neighborhood of \(S^1\). Skillful manipulation then brings us to \(T^*=T^{-1}\). In addition, the authors show that in a type \(\text{II}_1\) factor, every operator with \(\sigma(T) \subseteq S^1\) is a finite product of (less than eight) multiplicative commutators. Using a perturbation of the above kernel the authors provide also some interesting results about operators of class \(C_\rho\).