Algebraic Rieffel induction, formal Morita equivalence, and applications to deformation quantization. (Q5929713)

Let \(R\) be an ordered ring and \(C\) its quadratic extension \(C=R+iR\), where \(i^ 2=-1\). The main goal of the extensive work under review is to develop a purely algebraic theory of \(\ast\)-algebras over \(C\) analogous to theory of \(C^\ast\)-algebras. At first the positive elements of a \(\ast\)-algebra \(A\) over \(C\) and positive functionals on \(A\) are studied. The analog of the GNS construction and a purely algebraic version of Rieffel induction is obtained. Formal Morita equivalence of two \(\ast\)-algebras defined by the existence of a bimodule with certain additional structure is investigated. Various examples of finite rank operators on pre-Hilbert spaces and matrix algebras over \(\ast\)-algebras are studied. Finally, the results of the paper are applied to deformation theory and in particular to deformation quantization.