Non-Hausdorff symmetries of \(C^*\)-algebras (Q661304)

In noncommutative geometry, possibly non-Hausdorff quotient spaces are described by noncommutative \(C^*\)-algebras. As their symmetry groups may be non-Hausdorff too, it is useful to have their noncommutative description as well. The authors give such description using crossed modules. A \textit{crossed module} \(C=(G,H,\partial,c)\) consists of two topological groups, \(G\) and \(H\), with a continuous homomorphism \(\partial:H\to G\) and a continuous left action \(c\) of \(G\) on \(H\) by automorphisms satisfying the compatibility conditions \(\partial(c_g(h))=g\partial(h)g^{-1}\) and \(c_{\partial(h)}(k)=hkh^{-1}\) for all \(g\in G\), \(h,k\in H\). An \textit{action} \((\alpha,u)\) of \(C\) on a \(C^*\)-algebra \(A\) consists of a strongly continuous action \(\alpha\) of \(G\) on \(A\) and a strictly continuous homomorphism \(u\) from \(H\) to the unitary group of the multiplier algebra of \(A\) satisfying similar compatibility conditions. The authors define also \textit{covariant representations} of an action \((\alpha,u)\) of a crossed module \(C\) in a \(C^*\)-algebra \(D\) and the \textit{crossed product} \(C^*\)-algebra \(A\rtimes_{\alpha,u}C\) as the universal \(C^*\)-algebra for covariant representations. It is shown that \(A\rtimes_{\alpha\circ\partial}H\) has a canonical action of \(C\) and that \((A\rtimes_{\alpha\circ\partial}H)\rtimes C\) is naturally isomorphic to \(A\rtimes_{\alpha} G\). The advantage of the crossed module \(C\) over the quotient group \(G/\partial(H)\) is that it has more actions on \(C^*\)-algebras. Some interesting examples are given.