A geometric spectral theory for n-tuples of self-adjoint operators in finite von Neumann algebras. II.

DOI10.2140/PJM.2002.205.257MaRDI QIDQ1858299zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Charles A. Akemann, Joel Anderson

Publication date 13 February 2003

Published in Pacific Journal of Mathematics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0010271

central projection extreme point face spectral projection spectral scale von Neumann algebra

General theory of von Neumann algebras (46L10) Spectrum, resolvent (47A10) Several-variable operator theory (spectral, Fredholm, etc.) (47A13) Linear operators in (C^*)- or von Neumann algebras (47C15)

Abstract: Given an n-tuple {b_1, ..., b_n} of self-adjoint operators in a finite von Neumann algebra M and a faithful, normal tracial state tau on M, we define a map Psi from M to R^{n+1} by Psi(a) = (tau(a), tau(b_1a), ..., tau(b_na)). The image of the positive part of the unit ball under Psi is called the spectral scale of {b_1, .., b_n} relative to tau and is denoted by B. In a previous paper with Nik Weaver we showed that the geometry of B reflects spectral data for real linear combinations of the operators {b_1, .., b_n}. For example, we showed that an exposed face in B is determined by a certain pair of spectral projections of a real linear combination of {b_1, .., b_n}. In the present paper we extend this study to faces that are not exposed. We completely describe the structure of arbitrary faces of B in terms of {b_1, .., b_n} and tau. We also study faces of convex, compact sets that are exposed by more than one hyperplane of support. Although many of the conclusions of this study involve too much notation to fit nicely in an abstract, there are two results that give their flavor very well. Let N be the algebra generated by {b_1, ..., b_n} and the identity. Theorem 6.1: If the set of extreme points of B is countable, then N is abelian. Corollary 5.6: B has a finite number of extreme points if and only if N is abelian and finite dimensional.

Review text

The authors continue the investigation begun in \textit{C. A. Akemann}, \textit{J. Anderson} and \textit{N. Weaver} [J. Funct. Anal. 164, 258--292 (1999; Zbl 0937.47003)] on the geometry of the spectral scale \(B\) defined by tuples \(b_1,\dots,b_n\) of self-adjoint operators relative to faithful, normal, tracial states \(\tau\) in finite von Neumann algebras \(M\). The minimal exposed facial chain determined by a general face in \(B\) is completely described by cut-down spectral interval projections in the facial complex defined (inductively) by a sequence of certain spectral pairs. A face \(F\) is exposed by at least two hyperplanes of support (\(F\) is called sharp face or generalized ``corner) if and only if it is contained in two hyperplanes of support corresponding to linearly independent spectral pairs \((s_1,{\mathbf{t}}_1)\) and \((s_2,{\mathbf{t}}_2)\). If, moreover, \({\mathbf{t}}_1={\mathbf{t}}_2={\mathbf{t}}=(t_1,\dots,t_n)\) and \(s_1<s_2\), then the interval \((s_1,s_2)\) lies in a gap of the spectrum of \(b_{{\mathbf{t}}}=t_1b_1+\dots +t_nb_n\) and \(F\) is an exposed point. If the von Neumann subalgebra \(N\) (\(\subseteq M\)) generated by \(\{b_1,\dots,b_n,1\}\) is finite-dimensional, then the isolated extreme points of \(B\) can be characterized in terms of central projections in \(N\). The authors deduce that \(N\) is abelian and finite-dimensional if and only if \(B\) has a finite number of extreme points. The main result of the last section shows that \(N\) is abelian if \(B\) has a countable number of extreme points.

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