Projection decomposition in multiplier algebras (Q662395)

In this paper, the authors they generalize the main result of \textit{K. Dykema} et al. [Ill. J. Math. 48, No. 2, 477--489 (2004; Zbl 1064.42020)] to certain multiplier algebras. There it was shown that a sufficient condition for a positive bounded operator on a Hilbert space to be a sum of projections converging in the strong operator topology is that the essential norm of the operator is greater than one. The authors of the present paper show the following Theorem. Let \(A\) be a \(\sigma\)-unital simple purely infinite \(C^*\)-algebra and \(b\) be a positive element of the multiplier algebra \(M(A)\) of \(A\). Then \(b\) is a strictly converging sum of projections belonging to \(A\) if and only if one of the following mutually exclusive four conditions holds: (i) the essential norm of \(b\) is greater than one; (ii) the essential norm of \(b\) is one and the norm of \(b\) is greater than one; (iii) \(b\) is a projection belonging to the complement of \(A\) in \(M(A)\); (iv) \(b\) is the sum of finitely many projections belonging to \(A\). As for the proof, case by case, it is proved, among other things, that all non-elementary, \(\sigma\)-unital simple \(C^*\)-algebras of real rank zero are weakly divisible in the sense of \textit{F. Perera} and \textit{M. Rørdam} [J. Funct. Anal. 217, No. 1, 142--170 (2004; Zbl 1074.46044)], generalizing their result from the separable category to the \(\sigma\)-unital category. In the crucial case (ii) of the theorem above, a block tri-diagonal approximation and operator theory techniques are used to construct a strictly converging sequence of projections \(f_k\) in \(A\) for which the norm of \(f_k b f_k\) is greater than one.