Twisted actions and the obstruction to extending unitary representations of subgroups (Q1886788)

Let \(G\) be a locally compact group, and let \(\pi\) be a (\(G\)-invariant) unitary representation of a closed normal subgroup \(N\) of \(G\) on a Hilbert space \(\mathcal H\). The aim of the paper is to clarify when \(\pi\) is the restriction of a unitary representation of \(G\). A cohomological obstruction to the extension of an arbitrary \(G\)-invariant unitary representation \(\pi\) of \(N\) is investigated. This obstruction is the twisted action of \(G/N\) on the von Neumann algebra \(\pi (N)'\) of operators which commute with every \(\pi (n)\), \(n\in N\). Main result: the representation \(\pi\) extends if and only if this twisted action is equivalent to an ordinary action.