Strong rigidity of \(\text{II}_1\) factors arising from malleable actions of \(w\)-rigid groups. I (Q2501079)

The paper under review gives a remarkable answer to a challenging problem concerning type II\(_1\) factors, originating in the classical work of \textit{F. J. Murray} and \textit{J. von Neumann} [Ann. Math. 44, 716--808 (1943; Zbl 0060.26903)]. For any subgroup \(S\subset {\mathbb R}_+^*\) the existence of a II\(_1\) factor \(M\) with fundamental group \({\mathcal F}(M)=S\) is proved. When \(S\) is countable \(M\) can be chosen to be a separable factor (i.e., \(M_*\) is separable). Previous progress was made in 1943 by Murray and von Neumann (proving \({\mathcal F}(R)={\mathbb R}_+^*\) for the hyperfinite II\(_1\) factor \(R\)), in 1980 by \textit{A. Connes} [J. Oper. Theory 4, 151--153 (1980; Zbl 0455.46056)] (proving that \({\mathcal F}(M)\) is countable if \(M\) is the von Neumann algebra of a discrete countable ICC group with Kazhdan's property T), in 1987 by \textit{V. Ya. Golodets} and \textit{N. I. Nessonov} [J. Funct. Anal. 70, 80--89 (1987; Zbl 0614.46053)] (constructing, for each countable set \(\Sigma\subset {\mathbb R}_+^*\), a type II\(_1\) factor \(M\) with \({\mathcal F}(M)\) countable and \(\Sigma\subset {\mathcal F}(M)\)), and very recently by the author [Ann. Math. (2) 163, 809--899 (2006; Zbl 1120.46045)] (for any II\(_1\) factor \(M\) with a Cartan subalgebra satisfying simultaneously a relative Haagerup type compact approximation property and a relative property T, e.g., \(M={\mathcal L}({\mathbb Z^2} \rtimes SL_2({\mathbb Z}))\), one has \({\mathcal F}(M)=\{ 1\}\)). The class of II\(_1\) factors considered here consist of crossed products \(M=N \rtimes_\sigma G\) with two properties. The first one requires the discrete ICC group \(G\) to be { \(w\)-rigid} (i.e., to contain an infinite normal subgroup with the relative property T). The second one requires the action \(\sigma\) to be { malleable} and { mixing}. Malleability, as defined by the author [J. Funct. Anal. 230, 273--328 (2006; Zbl 1097.46045)], is related with realizability of the finite von Neumann algebra \((N,\tau)\) as the centralizer \({\mathcal N}_\varphi\) of a von Neumann algebra with discrete decomposition \(({\mathcal N},\varphi)\) and with the existence of a { gauged extension} \(\tilde{\sigma}\) of \(\sigma\) to \((\tilde{{\mathcal N}},\tilde{\varphi})=({\mathcal N}\otimes {\mathcal N},\varphi\otimes \varphi)\) which leaves \({\mathcal N}={\mathcal N}\otimes 1\subset \tilde{{\mathcal N}}\) invariant and commutes with a certain action \(\alpha\) of \({\mathbb R}\) on \(\tilde{{\mathcal N}}\) for which \(\alpha_1 ({\mathcal N}\otimes 1)=1\otimes {\mathcal N}\). The almost periodic spectrum \(S({\mathcal N},\varphi)\), given by the pure point spectrum of the modular group \(\Delta_\varphi\), is a subgroup \(S(\tilde{\sigma})\subset {\mathcal F} (N\rtimes_\sigma G)\subset {\mathbb R}_+^*\). Moreover, the inclusion \(M=N\rtimes_\sigma G \subset {\mathcal N}\rtimes_{\tilde{\sigma}} G\) generates a family \(\text{Aut}_t (M;\tilde{\sigma})\) of \(t\)-scaling automorphisms, \(t\in S(\tilde{\sigma})\), such that any two of them differ by an inner automorphism of \(M\). The embeddings of \({\mathcal L}(G)\) in \(N\rtimes_\sigma G\) are very rigid, as shown by the following central result in the paper. Theorem. Let \(G_i\) be \(w\)-rigid ICC groups, \(\sigma_i :G_i \rightarrow \text{ Aut} (N_i,\tau_i)\) malleable mixing actions with gauged extensions \(\tilde{\sigma}_i\) and \(M_i=N_i \rtimes_{\sigma_i} G_i\), \(i=0,1\). Let \(\theta:M_0 \cong M_1^s\) be an isomorphism for some \(s>0\). Then there exist unique \(\beta_i \in S(\tilde{\sigma}_i)\) and unique \(\theta^i_{\beta_i} \in \text{ Aut}_{\beta_i} (M_i; \tilde{\sigma}_i)\) such that \(\theta^1_{\beta_1} (\theta ({\mathcal L}(G_0)))={\mathcal L}(G_1)^{s\beta_1}\) and \(\theta (\theta^0_{\beta_0} ({\mathcal L}(G_0)))={\mathcal L}(G_1)^{s\beta_0}\). Moreover, \(\beta_0=\beta_1\). In particular, taking \(G_i=G\), \(\sigma_i=\sigma\), \(M_i=N\rtimes _\sigma G\) with \(G\) a \(w\)-rigid group and \(\sigma\) a malleable mixing action, one has \[ \forall s\in {\mathcal F}(N\rtimes _\sigma G),\;\exists t\in S(\tilde{\sigma}),\;st\in {\mathcal F}({\mathcal L} (G)). \] Corollary. Let \(G\) be a discrete ICC \(w\)-rigid group for which \({\mathcal F}({\mathcal L}(G))=\{ 1\}\), for instance \(G={\mathbb Z}^2 \rtimes SL_2({\mathbb Z})\), and \(\sigma\) be a malleable mixing action on \(N\). Then \({\mathcal F}(N\rtimes _\sigma G)=S(\tilde{\sigma})\). Bernoulli \(G\)-shifts (both of classical and Connes-Størmer type) and Bogoliubov shifts provide prominent examples of malleable mixing actions. Classical (commutative) Bernoulli \(G\)-shifts \(\sigma\) on \(\bigotimes_{g\in G} {\mathbb T}\) only give \(S(\tilde{\sigma})=\{ 1\}\) and \(\text{Aut}(M;\tilde{\sigma})=\text{ Inn} (M)\). Myriads of examples are however produced by Connes-Størmer \(G\)-shifts \(\sigma\) on ITPFI factors \(({\mathcal N},\varphi)=\bigotimes_{g\in G} (B({\mathcal H}),\varphi_0)\). When the state \(\varphi_0\) is defined by the list of eigenvalues \(\{ t_i \}_i\), the group \({\mathcal F}(N\rtimes _\sigma G)=S(\tilde{\sigma})\) coincides with the multiplicative subgroup in \({\mathbb R}_+^*\) generated by the ratios \(\{ t_i / t_j\}_{i,j}\); thus any subgroup of \({\mathbb R}_+^*\) is effectively realized as the fundamental group of a type II\(_1\) factor.