A Dixmier-Douady theorem for Fell algebras (Q629721)

A \(C^{*}\)-algebra \(A\) is called a Fell algebra if given \(\pi_{0} \in\hat A\), there is a \(p\in A\) and a neighborhood \(V\) of \(\pi_{0}\) in \(\hat A\) such that \(\pi(p)\) is a rank-one projection for all \(\pi\in V\). In this case, \(\hat A\) is not only locally compact, but locally Hausdorff as well. If in addition, \(\hat A\) is Hausdorff, then \(A\) is said to have continuous trace. There is a well-known classification of continuous-trace algebras with spectrum \(X\) due to Dixmier and Douady. Stated in modern terms, one associates to each such algebra \(A\) a class \(\delta(A)\), called the Dixmier-Douady class of \(A\), in the sheaf cohomology group \(H^{2}(X,\mathcal{S})\) where \(\mathcal{S}\) is the sheaf of germs of \(\mathbb{T}\)-valued functions on \(X\). Then two continuous-trace algebras with spectrum \(X\) are Morita equivalent if and only if \(\delta(A)=\delta(B)\). Furthermore, every class in \(H^{2}(X,\mathcal{S})\) arises as \(\delta(A)\) for some continuous-trace algebra \(A\) with spectrum \(X\). If \(X\) is locally compact, but only assumed to be locally Hausdorff, then one can still make sense of the sheaf cohomology group \(H^{2}(X,\mathcal{S})\). In the work under review, the authors show how to assign a class \(\gamma(A)\) in \(H^{2}(X,\mathcal{S})\) to any Fell algebra \(A\) with spectrum \(X\). Futhermore, two such Fell algebras are Morita equivalent if and only if \(\gamma(A)=\gamma(B)\). And, just as in the continuous-trace case, every class in \(H^{2}(X,\mathcal{S})\) can be so realized. The authors do not address the question of whether \(\delta(A)=\gamma(A)\) if \(A\) has continuous trace.