Stably isomorphic dual operator algebras (Q2480874)

We start with some definitions. (1) Two dual operator algebras \(A\) and \(B\) are \textit{stably isomorphic} if there exists a cardinal \(I\) such that the algebras \(M_I(A)\) and \(M_I(B)\) of matrices indexed by \(I\), whose finite submatrices have uniformly bounded norms, are algebraically isomorphic through an isomorphism which is completely isometric and \(w^*\)-(bi)continuous. (2) Let \(A\) and \(B\) be \(w^*\)-closed algebras acting on Hilbert spaces \(H\) and \(K\), respectively. They are \textit{TRO equivalent} if there exists a ternary ring of operators (TRO) \({\mathcal M} \subseteq B(H,K)\) such that \(A=[{\mathcal M}^*B{\mathcal M}]^{-w^*}\) and \(B=[{\mathcal M} A{\mathcal M}^*]^{-w^*}\). (TRO is a subspace \({\mathcal M}\subseteq B(H,K)\) such that \({\mathcal M}{\mathcal M}^*{\mathcal M}\subset {\mathcal M}\).) (3) If \(A\) is a dual operator algebra, then a completely contractive \(w^*\)-continuous homomorphism \(\alpha: A\to B(H)\), where \(H\) is a Hilbert space, is called a \textit{normal representation} of \(A\). (4) Two unital dual operator algebras \(A\) and \(B\) are \textit{\(\Delta\)-equivalent} if they have completely isometric normal representations \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\), respectively, such that the algebras \(\alpha(A)\) and \(\beta(B)\) are TRO equivalent. The main result of the paper (Theorem~3.2) says that two unital dual operator algebras \(A\) and \(B\) are stably isomorphic if and only if they are \(\Delta\)-equivalent. The explanation that two stably isomorphic unital dual operator algebras are \(\Delta\)-equivalent is short and is given in the last few paragraphs of the first section. On the other hand, the opposite implication is quite involved. An interesting consequence of the main theorem (and some results obtained previously by the first author) is that two CSL algebras, acting on separable Hilbert spaces, are stably isomorphic if and only if there exists a lattice isomorphism between their lattices which respects continuity. (Let \({\mathcal L}_1\) and \({\mathcal L}_2\) be CSL's, \(\phi:{\mathcal L}_1 \to {\mathcal L}_2\) be a lattice isomorphism, \(p\) be the span of the atoms of \({\mathcal L}_1\), and \(q\) be the span of the atoms of \({\mathcal L}_2\). Then \(\phi\) \textit{respects continuity} if there exists a lattice isomorphism \({\mathcal L}_1|_{p^\perp}\to{\mathcal L}_2|_{q^\perp}\) such that \(l|_{p^\perp}\mapsto\phi(l)|_{q^\perp}\) for every \(l\in{\mathcal L}_1\).)