Closed unitary and similarity orbits of normal operators in purely infinite \(C^\ast\)-algebras (Q2637109)

For a unital \(C^*\)-algebra \(\mathcal A\) and an operator \(A\in \mathcal A\), the set \(\mathcal U(A):=\{UAU^*\in \mathcal A\mid U \in \mathcal A \text{~is unitary}\}\) is called the unitary orbit of \(A\) and \(\mathcal S(A):=\{VAV^{-1}\in \mathcal A\mid V \in {\mathcal A}^{-1} \text{~is invertible}\}\) is said to be the similarity orbit of \(A\). Given a normal operator \(N \in \mathcal A\), the continuous functional calculus provides a unital injective \(*\)-homomorphism from the \(C^*\)-algebra continuous functions on the spectrum of \(N\) into \(\mathcal A\) sending the identity function to \(N\). Two normal operators are approximately unitarily equivalent in \(\mathcal A\) if and only if the corresponding unital injective \(*\)-homomorphism are approximately unitarily equivalent. Thus it is of interest to determine when two unital injective \(*\)-homomorphisms from an abelian \(C^*\)-algebra to a fixed unital \(C^*\)-algebra are approximately unitarily equivalent. The author investigates the norm closure of the unitary and similarity orbits of normal operators in unital simple purely infinite \(C^*\)-algebras. A simple proof for the classification of when two normal operators are approximately unitarily equivalent in said algebras with trivial \(K_1\)-group is given; cf.\ \textit{M. Dadarlat} [\(K\)-Theory 9, No. 2, 117--137 (1995; Zbl 0828.46055)]. Using some ideas of that paper, together with some other \(K\)-theory arguments, the author gets some upper and lower bounds for the distance between unitary orbits of normal operators. Furthermore, employing some ideas from [\textit{D. A. Herrero}, Approximation of Hilbert space operators. Vol.~1. Boston-London-Melbourne: Pitman Advanced Publishing Program (1982; Zbl 0494.47001)], a complete characterization of when one normal operator is in the closed similarity orbit of another normal operator is given for unital simple purely infinite \(C^*\)-algebras and type III factors with separable predual.