Projection-convex combinations in \(C^*\)-algebras and the invariant subspace problem. I (Q2473667)

Let \({\mathcal {B(H)}}\) be the algebra of all bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space \({\mathcal H}\). Given a \(C^*\)-subalgebra \({\mathcal A} \subset {\mathcal {B(H)}}\), denote by \({\mathcal A}^{pr}\) the set of all projections in \({\mathcal A}\). For a unital \(C^*\)-algebra \({\mathcal A}\), let \[ {\mathcal L}_1 = {\mathcal A}^{pr}, \dots, {\mathcal L}_{n+1} = \{ap+bp^{\perp}: a, b \in {\mathcal L}_n,\;p \in {\mathcal A}^{pr} \}, \dots\,. \] It is clear that \({\mathcal L}_1 \subset {\mathcal L}_2 \subset\dots\,\). Set \({\mathcal L} = \bigcup_{n=1}^{\infty} {\mathcal L}_n\). In [\textit{A.\,M.\thinspace Bikchentaev} and \textit{A.\,N.\thinspace Sherstnev}, Math.\ Notes 76, No.\,4, 578--581 (2004; Zbl 1080.46037)], it was proved that if a von Neumann algebra \({\mathcal A}\) doesn't have a direct summand of finite type I, then \({\mathcal L} ={\mathcal A}\). The main result of the present paper is the following Theorem. If \({\mathcal A} = {\mathcal {B(H)}}\), \(\dim({\mathcal H}) < \infty\), then \({\mathcal A} = {\mathcal L}\). In particular, one obtains the following Corollary. If \({\mathcal A}\) is a von~Neumann algebra of finite type~I without Abelian direct summands, then \({\mathcal A} ={\mathcal L}\).