Compact graph \(C^\ast\)-algebras (Q365125)

Compactness of graph \(C^\ast\)-algebras \(C^*(E)\), for arbitrary directed graphs \(E\), is characterized structurally and graph-theoretically. In the first direction, \(C^*(E)\) is proved to be compact if and only if it is isomorphic to a \(C^\ast\)-direct sum of subalgebras isomorphic to either finite matrix algebras over \(\mathbb C\) or the algebra of compact operators on a separable complex Hilbert space. The graph-theoretic characterization is that \(C^*(E)\) is compact if and only if \(E\) is acyclic and row-finite (each vertex emits at most finitely many arrows) and every infinite (forward) path in \(E\) ends in an infinite sink (an infinite path none of whose vertices hosts a bifurcation or a cycle). These are exactly the conditions under which any Leavitt path algebra \(L_K(E)\) is semisimple in the sense of being equal to its socle. Other results include a description of the socle of \(C^*(E)\) in general, and characterizations of the simple compact graph \(C^\ast\)-algebras.