Representations of algebraic quantum groups and reconstruction theorems for tensor categories (Q1770889)

Roughly, the Tannakian philosophy can be stated as: ``A group \(G\) can be reconstructed from the tensor category of its finite-dimensional representations''. Research based on this idea has a long story, starting from [\textit{T. Tannaka}, Tôhoku Math. J. 45, 1--12 (1938; Zbl 0020.00904)]; high points are the results of \textit{Saavedra Rivano} [Lect. Notes in Math. 265, Springer Verlag (1972; Zbl 0241.14008)], \textit{S. Doplicher} and \textit{J. E. Roberts} [Invent. Math. J. 98, 157--218 (1989; Zbl 0691.22002)] and \textit{P. Deligne} [Prog. Math. 87, 111--195 (1990; Zbl 0727.14010)]. In more technical --but still imprecise-- terms, the Tannakian philosophy can be summarized as follows: Given a symmetric tensor category \(\mathcal C\) \textit{and} a fiber functor \(\mathcal C\to \text{vec } \mathbb C\), there exists a group \(G\) such that \(\mathcal C\simeq \text{Rep }G\) as symmetric tensor categories. The work of Saavedra, Doplicher and Roberts and Deligne shows that certain conditions imply the existence of the fiber functor. After the appearance of quantum groups, it became natural to seek for a Tannakian theorem for them. Different variants were obtained in the following incomplete list of papers. A reconstruction of a Hopf algebra from a tensor category and a fiber functor is given in [\textit{K.-H. Ulbrich}, Isr. J. Math. 72, 252--256 (1990; Zbl 0727.16029); see also \textit{A. Joyal} and \textit{R. Street}, ``An introduction to Tannaka duality and quantum groups'', Category theory, Proc. Int. Conf., Como/Italy 1990, Lect. Notes Math. 1488, 413--492 (1991; Zbl 0745.57001)]. A reconstruction of a quasitriangular Hopf algebra from a \textit{braided} tensor category and a fiber functor is given in [\textit{S. Majid}, Suppl. Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo, Ser. II 26, 197--206 (1991; Zbl 0762.18005), see also Foundations of quantum group theory, Cambridge Univ. Press (1995; Zbl 0857.17009)]. A reconstruction of compact matrix quantum group is the subject of [\textit{S. Woronowicz}, Invent. Math. 93, 35--76 (1988; Zbl 0664.58044)]. For certain tensor categories, it was shown in [\textit{T. Hayashi}, Contemp. Math. 267, 161--176 (2000; Zbl 0974.16032)] that a fiber functor to the category of bimodules over a separable algebra always exists. The method of reconstruction gives out in this case a weak Hopf algebra [see also \textit{V. Ostrik}, Transform. Groups 8, No. 2, 177--206 (2003; Zbl 1044.18004)]. In this paper, a Tannakian reconstruction theorem in the context of \(*\)-tensor categories and fiber functors to the category of Hilbert spaces is presented. There is a crucial hypothesis of positivity, implying among other facts the semisimplicity of the underlying category. The outcome is an algebraic quantum group; this is a multiplier \(*\)-Hopf algebra with a positive left-invariant non-zero functional. Recall that multiplier Hopf algebras are like Hopf algebras but without unit [see \textit{A. van Daele}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 342, No. 2, 917--932 (1994; Zbl 0809.16047)]. The above mentioned result of Woronowicz is recovered imposing the existence of a generator of the tensor category, as well as the classical Tannaka-Krein theorem reconstructing compact groups. The article is largely a survey; algebraic quantum groups are presented from scratch with emphasis in the discrete and compact cases. The relation between representations and corepresentations of an algebraic quantum group and its dual are discussed in detail. In fact representations play a central rôle in the approach of the authors, opposite to the comodule point of view adopted by many authors. This is possible again from the positivity assumption. There are also sections on cocommutative algebraic quantum groups and braided \(*\)-tensor categories.