\(C^*\)- and \(JB^*\)-algebras generated by a nonself-adjoint idempotent (Q2373798)

The aim of this interesting paper is to describe the \(C^*\)-algebra generated by a non-selfadjoint idempotent \(e\). Let \(A\) denote the \(C^*\)-algebra generated by \(e\). It was previously known that the set \(K:= \sigma (\sqrt{e^* e})\backslash \{0\}\) is a compact subset of \([1,+\infty[\). When \(1\) does not belong to \(K\), then it is established that \(A\) is *-isomorphic to \(C(K,M_2(\mathbb{C}))\), while \(A\) is *-isomorphic to a distinguished proper \(C^*\)-subalgebra of \(C(K,M_2(\mathbb{C}))\) whenever \(1\in K\). The authors also describe the \(JB^*\)-algebra generated by a non-selfadjoint element \(e\). In this case, the triple spectrum of the element \(e\) plays an important role. Suppose that \(e\) is an element in a \(JB^*\)-algebra \(J\) and let \(K\) denote the triple spectrum of \(e\). If \(1\) does not belong to \(K\), then the \(JB^*\)-subalgebra of \(J\) generated by \(e\) is *-isomorphic to \(C(K,S_3)\), where \(S_3\) denotes the three-dimensional spin factor. When \(1\) lies in \(K\), then the \(JB^*\)-subalgebra of \(J\) generated by \(e\) is also described in detail. The following interesting problem is left open in the last section: Let \(J\) be a \(JB^*\)-algebra containing a nonzero tripotent (that is, an element \(e\) satisfying that \(2 (e\circ e^*)\circ e -e^2 \circ e^* =e\)). Does then \(J\) contain a nonzero selfadjoint idempotent? Equivalently, let \(J\) be a \(JB^*\)-subalgebra of some \(L(H)\). Suppose that \(J\) contains a nonzero partial isometry. Does \(J\) contain a nonzero selfadjoint projection?