On the representations of certain idempotent topological semigroups (Q1185778)

This paper is concerned with the representation of locally compact topological semilattices (considered as semigroups) by operators in Hilbert space. Since all elements of semilattices are idempotents, the image operators must be projections. Since continuous representations are sought the topology on the projections cannot be the norm topology, which is discrete; the weak operator topology is used. Under these conditions, when the semilattice \(S\) has an identity, any cyclic representation of \(S\) can be realized on a Hilbert space \(L^ 2(\mu)\), where \(\mu\) is a measure on the (compact) dual \(\widehat S\) of \(S\). The authors' real aim is to find representations on more accessible spaces \(L^ 2(m)\), where \(m\) is a measure on \(S\) itself. This they achieve for the special case in which \(S\) is a product of a finite number of totally ordered semigroups (though the details are presented for a product of just two). The technique is to produce a homomorphism from \(\widehat S\) onto \(S\), and it is then enough to consider the image measures. In fact, the images of measures which allow continuous cyclic representations are characterized by a natural continuity condition on \(S\).