Operator algebras. Theory of \(C^*\)-algebras and von Neumann algebras (Q2572176)

This volume is an important and useful contribution to the literature on \(C^*\)-algebras and von Neumann algebras. It serves two purposes: to record the standard theory in the Encyclopaedia of Mathematics and to provide an introduction and standard reference for the more specialized volumes in the series ``Operator Algebras and Non-commutative Geometry''. These purposes were successfully achieved: all of the main aspects of the classical operator algebra theory are covered by a single book. This was made possible due to the brief style: where an argument can be given in a few lines, longer arguments are usually only outlined. But even then the author includes enough hints and explanations to reconstruct proofs or at least to make them plausible. The book consists of 5 chapters. Chapter I is a brief survey of Hilbert space theory. It contains (mostly for reference purposes) basic information about Hilbert spaces, bounded operators, topologies on \(B(H)\), functional calculus, the spectral theorem, unbounded operators, compact operators etc. Chapters II and III are the core of the book and deal with \(C^*\)-algebras and von Neumann algebras respectively. Basic \(C^*\)-algebra theory includes the following sections: Definitions and elementary facts; Commutative \(C^*\)-algebras and continuous functional calculus; Positivity, order and comparison theory; Approximate units; Ideals, quotients and homomorphisms; States and representations; Hilbert modules, multiplier algebras and Morita equivalence; Examples and constructions; Tensor products and nuclearity; Group \(C^*\)-algebras and crossed products. Von Neumann algebra theory consists of the sections: Projections and type classification; Normal linear functionals and spatial theory; Examples and constructions of factors; Modular theory; applications to representation theory of \(C^*\)-algebras. Chapter IV, entitled `Further Structures', covers type I \(C^*\)-algebras, classification of injective factors, nuclearity and exactness of \(C^*\)-algebras. Chapter V describes \(K\)-theory for \(C^*\)-algebras and such notions as (in)finiteness, stable and real rank and quasidiagonality. The book is extremely well written. It can be recommended as a reference to graduate students working in operator algebra theory and to other mathematicians who want to bring themselves up-to-date on the subject.