Characterizing derivations on von Neumann algebras by local actions (Q2443715)

Summary: Let \(\mathcal M\) be any von Neumann algebra without central summands of type \(I_1\) and \(P\) a core-free projection with the central carrier \(I\). For any scalar \(\xi\), it is shown that every additive map \(L\) on \(\mathcal M\) satisfies \(L(AB-\xi BA)=L(A)B- \xi BL(A) + AL(B) - \xi L(B)A\) whenever \(AB=P\) if and only if (1) \(\xi=1\), \(L= \varphi + h\), where \(\varphi\) is an additive derivation and \(h\) is a central valued additive map vanishing on \(AB-BA\) with \(AB=P\); (2) \(\xi \neq 1\), \(L\) is a derivation with \(L(\xi A)=\xi L(A)\) for each \(A \in \mathcal M\).