The countable chain condition for \(C^\ast\)-algebras (Q267454)

The author introduces the countable chain condition (CCC) for \(C^*\)-algebras and studies its fundamental properties. He defines CCC in terms of ideals, whence this condition is trivial for simple \(C^*\)-algebras. In order to avoid this phenomenon, one can use hereditary \(C^*\)-algebras in place of ideals: two hereditary \(C^*\)-subalgebras \(A\) and \(B\) are orthogonal to each other if \(AB = 0\); a \(C^*\)-algebra has strong CCC if there is no uncountable family of nonzero mutually orthogonal hereditary \(C^*\)-subalgebras. Martin's axiom, which is known to be independent from ZFC, is explained in Section~3 and it is also verified that the negation of the Suslin hypothesis, which is another independent statement explained in Section~3, implies the opposite conclusion of the statement ``Martin's axiom, MA(\( \omega _1 \)), implies that any minimal tensor product of unital CCC \(C^*\)-algebras has CCC''. The author introduces some definitions related to partially ordered sets in order to express Martin's axiom in a simple form. He proves a combinatorial lemma, which is known as the \(\Delta\)-system lemma, to establish the final result. With this fact, the author shows the independence from ZFC of the statement that this condition is preserved under the tensor products of \(C^*\)-algebras.