Joint spectrum and joint distribution (Q2440931)

\(({\mathcal A}, \phi)\) is called a noncommutative \(C^\ast\)-probability space if \(\mathcal A\) is a \(C^\ast\)-algebra and \(\phi\) is a state. A state \(\phi\) is called faithful if for any positive \(a\in{\mathcal A}\), \(\phi(a)>0\). The following definition of independence is due to Voiculescu. A family of unital subalgebras \(({\mathcal A}_i)_{i\in I}\) in a noncommutative probability space \(({\mathcal A},\phi)\) is independent if, for distinct indices \(i\) and \(j\), the algebras \({\mathcal A}_i\), \({\mathcal A}_j\) commute and \(\phi(a_1\dots a_k)=\phi(a_1)\dots\phi(a_k)\) whenever \(a_k\in {\mathcal A}_{i(k)}\), \(1\leq k\leq n\) and \(k\neq l\Rightarrow i(k)\neq i(l)\). The distribution of \(a\in{\mathcal A}\) is the linear functional on the polynomials in the indeterminate \(X\) given by \(\mu_a(P)=\phi(P(a))\). If \((a_i)_{i\in I}\) is a family of noncommutative random variables in \(({\mathcal A},\phi)\), then the linear functional \(\mu_{(a_i)_{i\in I}}\) on the polynomials in the noncommuting indeterminates \((X_i)_{i\in I}\) given by \(\mu_{(a_i)_{i\in I}}=\phi(P((a_i)_{i\in I}))\) is the joint distribution of \((a_i)_{i\in I}\). The Taylor joint spectrum of operators \(T_1,\dots,T_n\) will be denoted by \(Sp(T_1,\dots,T_n)\), while \(\sigma(T_i)\) will stand for the usual spectrum of \(T_i\). The authors study relations between the independence, the Taylor joint spectrum, and the joint distribution. They prove the following: {Theorem.} Let \(({\mathcal A}_i)_{i=1}^n\) be mutually commuting unital \(C^\ast\)-subalgebras of \({\mathcal B}({\mathcal H})\), where \(\mathcal H\) is a separable Hilbert space. The following statements are equivalent:{\parindent=0.7cm\begin{itemize}\item[(1)] for all \(T_i\in{\mathcal A}_i\), \(Sp(T_1,\dots,T_n)=\sigma(T_1)\times\dots\times\sigma(T_n)\);\item[(2)] for any selfadjoint operators \(A_i\in{\mathcal A}_i\), there is a faithful state \(\phi\) on the \(C^\ast\)-algebra \(C^\ast(A_1,\dots,A_n)\) generated by these operators such that \[ \mu_{(A_1,\dots,A_n)}(P_1,\dots,P_n)=\mu_{A_1}(P_1)\dots\mu_{A_n}(P_n); \] \item[(3)] for any selfadjoint operators \(A_i\in{\mathcal A}_i\) there is a faithful state \(\phi\) on the algebra \(C^\ast(A_1,\dots,A_n)\) such that the algebras \((C^\ast(A_i))_{i=1}^n\) are independent in \((C^\ast(A_1,\dots,A_n),\phi)\). \end{itemize}} Moreover, they discuss relations between the independence and the \(C^\ast\)-in\-de\-pen\-den\-ce in the product sense.