On tensor products of von Neumann algebras (Q1922548)

Fundamental results concerning splitting properties of subalgebras in tensor products of von Neumann algebras are proved. A von Neumann subalgebra \(\mathcal B\) of the von Neumann tensor product \({\mathcal M}\overline{\otimes}{\mathcal N}\) splits if it is of the form \({\mathcal M}_0\overline{\otimes}{\mathcal N}_0\), where \({\mathcal M}_0\) and \({\mathcal N}_0\) are von Neumann subalgebras of \(\mathcal M\) and \(\mathcal N\), respectively. It is shown that \(\mathcal B\) splits precisely when \(\mathcal B\) is stable under all tensor-slice mappings. The principal result of the paper says that \(\mathcal B\) splits whenever \(\mathcal M\) is a factor and \(\mathcal B\) contains \({\mathcal M}\otimes I\). This deep result is obtained after series of interesting arguments. Applications for tensor products of maximal injective subalgebras and relation to the result of Connes on hyperfiniteness and injectivity are given.