Joint spectrum and the infinite dihedral group (Q1675239)

Let \(B\) be a unital Banach algebra. The projective joint spectrum \(P(A)\) of a (not necessarily commutative) tuple \(A =(A_1,A_2,\dots, A_n)\) in \(B\) is the set of all \(z=(z_1,z_2, \dots, z_n) \in\mathbb{C}^n\) such that the multiparameter pencil \(A(z)=z_1A_1 + z_2A_2 + \dots + z_nA_n\) is not invertible; cf. [\textit{R. Yang}, J. Topol. Anal. 1, No. 3, 289--306 (2009; Zbl 1197.47015)]. If \(B\) is the group \(C^*\)-algebra associated with a finitely generated group \(G =\langle g_1,g_2, \ldots, g_n\rangle\) and a unitary representation \(\rho\) of \(G\) on a Hilbert space and \(A_i = \rho(g_i)\), then the invertibility of \(A(z)\) reflects the structure of \(G\) and \(\rho\). In fact, \(P(A)\) is invariant under weak equivalence of unitary representations. In the paper under review, the authors compute the joint spectrum of \(R =(1,a,t)\) for the infinite dihedral group \(D_\infty=\langle a, t | a^2 = t^2 = 1 \rangle\) with respect to the left regular representation \(\lambda_{D_{\infty}}\), and investigate its properties. They present a formula for the Fuglede-Kadison determinant of the pencil \(R(z)= z_0 + z_1\lambda_{D_{\infty}}(a) + z_2\lambda_{D_{\infty}}(t)\) and use it to compute the first singular homology group of the joint resolvent set \(P^c(R)=\mathbb{C}^n\setminus P(R)\). They give a self-similar realization of the group \(C^*\)-algebra \(C^*(D_{\infty})\) through the Koopman representation \(\rho\) of \(D_{\infty}\) by measure-preserving transformations on the boundary of a binary rooted tree. In addition, they obtain the joint spectrum with respect to the Koopman representation. Finally, they study the dynamics of the joint spectrum \(P(R)\) given by a degree-\(3\) homogeneous polynomial self-map on \(\mathbb{C}^3\).