Diagonality in \(C^*\)-algebras (Q1111134)

The author calls a \(C^*\)-algebra I \(\sigma\)-p-unital if I possesses an approximate identity consisting of an increasing sequence of projections. He then defines the notion of diagonality of an element of a \(C^*\)- algebra A relative to a \(\sigma\)-p-unital ideal I of A. The main result of the paper is as follows: Let I be a separable ideal of a \(C^*\)-algebra A and let \(A_{sa}\) be the hermitian part of A. Suppose that the elements of \(A_{sa}\) with finite spectra are dense in \(A_{sa}\). Then I is \(\sigma\)-p-unital, and for every \(a\in A_{sa}\) and \(\epsilon >0\) there exist \(b\in A_{sa}\), and \(x\in I_{sa}\) such that b is diagonal relative to I, \(\| x\| <\epsilon\) and \(a=b+x.\) This result is an extension to a \(C^*\)-algebra setting of the theorem of Weyl stating that if T is a hermitian operator on a separable Hilbert space H and \(\epsilon >0\), then there exist a hermitian diagonal operator S and a hermitian compact operator K on H with \(\| K\| <\epsilon\) and \(T=S+K\).