Factorization in \(C^*\)-algebras (Q1128354)

The author provides elegant and exhaustive overview of factorization results for \(C^\ast\)-algebras and outlines their basic applications. In the first part von Neumann type factorization theorems which stem from polar decomposition are exhibited. For example the following theorem (and its consequences for infinitely many elements) is proved: If \(x^\ast x\leq y^\ast y\) in a \(C^\ast\)-algebra \(A\) there is an element \(z\in A\) such that \(zz^\ast=xx^\ast\) and \(z^\ast z\leq y^\ast y\). The second part is devoted to Cohen type factorizations: Let \(E\) be a left Banach \(A\)-module for a \(C^\ast\)-algebra \(A\) acting non-degenerately on \(E\). Then each \(\xi\in E\) can be written as \(\xi=x\theta\), where \(\theta\in E\) and \(x\) is a positive contraction in \(A\). A variant of this result for \(\ell^p\)-summable sequences of elements is given. As applications many results for \(C^\ast\)-algebras are derived in a nice way from factorization principles, e.g. Johnson's result on boundedness of the left centralizer, construction of the smallest trace dominating given lower semi-continuous weight, description of common null space for tracial functionals, etc. Finally, further developments concerning polar decompositions \(x=u| x| \), where \(u\) are partial isometries with some special properties are discussed.