The complete classification of unital graph \(C^{\ast}\)-algebras: geometric and strong (Q821486)

This article completes the classification of unital graph C*-algebras, both up to isomorphism and up to Morita equivalence. A graph C*-algebra is unital if and only if the underlying graph has only finitely many vertices. Cuntz-Krieger algebras are an important class of examples. It is shown that any isomorphism between the reduced filtered ordered $K$-theory invariants of two graph C*-algebras lifts to a Morita equivalence between the graph C*-algebras. If the isomorphism also preserves the class of the unit elements, then it lifts to an isomorphism of C*-algebras. This is a ``strong'' classification result because it lifts isomorphisms on the invariants. Some previous results are only ``weak'' classification results, saying that an isomorphism or Morita equivalence of C*-algebras exists when suitable invariants are isomorphic. The proof uses certain ``moves'' on graphs. These replace one graph by another one that has a Morita equivalent C*-algebra. Several moves that do this have already been identified before. The starting point is a result of \textit{M. Boyle} and \textit{D.-R. Huang} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 355, No. 10, 3861--3886 (2003; Zbl 1028.15006)] in symbolic dynamics, which characterises when two shifts of finite type are flow equivalent: this happens if and only if the corresponding graphs are related by a sequence of certain moves. This is related because two graph C*-algebras are Morita equivalent if the corresponding shifts of finite type are flow equivalent. In the classification of purely infinite graph C*-algebras, another move was discovered some time ago, the Cuntz splice. It also leads to Morita equivalent graph C*-algebras, but does not lead to flow equivalent shifts of finite type. It was already known that the classical moves from symbolic dynamics and Cuntz equivalence do not suffice for general graphs. Here another move is introduced, called the Pulelehua move. It is shown in this article that the Pulelehua move also preserves the graph C*-algebras up to Morita equivalence. In addition, it is shown that any isomorphism between the reduced filtered ordered $K$-theory invariants of two graph C*-algebras may be realised through a sequence of moves of the considered types. This is what the authors mean by a ``geometric'' classification. The new Pulelehua move is only possible if a graph has a simple cycle as one of its components or, equivalently, if its C*-algebra has a gauge-invariant subquotient that is isomorphic to the C*-algebra of continuous functions on the circle. Therefore, for graph C*-algebras of real rank zero, the equivalence may be achieved using the more basic moves, including the Cuntz splice. The authors also apply their results. They classify quantum lens spaces up to isomorphism. They show that a Morita equivalence of Leavitt path algebras for graphs with finitely many vertices implies a Morita equivalence of the graph C*-algebras; this proves a conjecture by \textit{G. Abrams} and \textit{M. Tomforde} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 363, No. 7, 3733--3767 (2011; Zbl 1230.16012)] in the unital case. In addition, they deduce that the questions whether or not two graph C*-algebras are isomorphic or Morita equivalent are decidable by algorithms. They also raise the question whether one may deduce from some invariant whether or not a given C*-algebra is a graph C*-algebra. Finally, they prove in a certain case that two graph C*-algebras that are Morita equivalent are already isomorphic: this happens when the two graphs are in a certain standard form and the graph C*-algebras are type~I.