Duals of quantum semigroups with involution (Q2289840)

The paper under review introduces a wide class QSI of quantum semigroups with involution. Every algebra in QSI admits a dual which is again a quantum semigroup with an involution. For a locally compact quantum group \(\mathbb G\), the enveloping von Neumann algebras \(C^u_0 (\mathbb G)^{**}\) and \(C^u_0(\widehat{\mathbb G})^{**}\) of the universal Kustermans' group algebras fall into this class and are dual one to another. We arrive thus at a universal duality for locally compact quantum groups. The reduced group von Neumann algebras of locally compact quantum groups are in QSI as well, and the dual of \(L^\infty(\mathbb G)\) is \(C^u_0(\widehat{\mathbb G})^{**}\). An object in QSI is a von Neumann algebra \(M\) with a comultiplication \(\Delta:M\to M\otimes M\), and a densely defined coinvolution \(S:D(S)\subset M\to M\), which satisfies certain natural axioms. Then \(M_*\) is a Banach algebra, and the central idea is to consider the ideal \(M^0_{*\#}\subset M_*\), defined as the common kernel of a certain class of representations. It turns out that this ideal contains all necessary information on the dual algebra \(\widehat M=C^*(M^0_{*\#})^{**}\). Some interesting examples are discussed.