\(W^\ast\)-representations of subfactors and restrictions on the Jones index (Q6168567)

The author studies the W*-representations of subfactors and introduces the equivalent notions of weak injectivity and weak amenability. The main theorem states that if an extremal subfactor with finite index is weakly amenable, then its index is the square norm of a bipartite graph. In the classification of the Jones index of subfactors, a remarkble quantization phenomenon was discovered below index 4. It is a central question to classify the Jones index of hyperfinite subfactors, which are conjectured to be quantized between 4 and \(2+\sqrt5\). The main theorem of this paper is an important development on the classification of the index of the hyperfinite subfactors. The Jones index is quantized between 4 and \(2+\sqrt5\) under the assumption of weak amenability. Subfactors with such indices have the principal graph \(A_\infty\). It was further conjectured by the author that all \(A_\infty\) hyperfinite subfactors will verify the weak amenability assumption. If the conjecture is true, then one will obtain the quantized indices between 4 and \(2+\sqrt5\). In addition, the author provides analytic methods from W*-representations to study invariants of subfactors beyond the standard invariants. It leads to further connections with the theory of free probability and deformation rigidity.