Uniqueness of the von Neumann Continuous Factor

Abstract: For a division ring

D

, denote by

m a t h c a l M_{D}

the

D

-ring obtained as the completion of the direct limit

v a r i n j l i m_{n} M_{2^{n}} (D)

with respect to the metric induced by its unique rank function. We prove that, for any ultramatricial

D

-ring

m a t h c a l B

and any non-discrete extremal pseudo-rank function

N

on

m a t h c a l B

, there is an isomorphism of

D

-rings

o v e r l i n e m a t h c a l B c o n g m a t h c a l M_{D}

, where

o v e r l i n e m a t h c a l B

stands for the completion of

m a t h c a l B

with respect to the pseudo-metric induced by

N

. This generalizes a result of von Neumann. We also show a corresponding uniqueness result for

*

-algebras over fields

F

with positive definite involution, where the algebra

m a t h c a l M_{F}

is endowed with its natural involution coming from the

*

-transpose involution on each of the factors

M_{2^{n}} (F)

.

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