Locally convex quasi \(^\ast\)-algebras and their representations (Q2309336)

The book gives a comprehensive overview of the theory of quasi \(^*\)-algebras, including the requisite definitions, examples, results and proofs. The range of the presented material covers the whole period of almost 40 years of studies on quasi \(^*\)-algebras since their first written mentioning by \textit{G. Lassner} [Wiss. Z., Karl-Marx-Univ. Leipz., Math.-Naturwiss. Reihe 30, 572--595 (1981; Zbl 0483.47027)]. This book is well written and can be recommended both to experts on locally convex quasi \(^*\)-algebras as well as to young researchers (not only in mathematics, but also in physics) who want to understand the ``world of quasi \(^*\)-algebras'' (in the general case or in the normed or locally convex setting). The introductory chapter of the book gives a short overview of the history and applications of quasi \(^*\)-algebras. It is followed by a chapter which gives the definitions and basic algebraic results on quasi \(^*\)-algebras and partial \(^*\)-algebras, without involving any topology (although most of the examples are already equipped with some topology). The last part of the chapter is devoted to Gelfand-Naimark-Segal-like constructions. The third chapter gives background information on normed quasi \(^*\)-algebras, arriving at the notion and main properties of Banach quasi \(^*\)-algebras. The continuity of representable linear functionals and \(^*\)-representations is studied here as well. The fourth chapter moves on to study properties of the spectrum, bounded elements and strongly bounded elements of normed quasi \(^*\)-algebras. In particular, \(^*\)-semisimple Banach quasi \(^*\)-algebras are more thoroughly studied. The fifth chapter studies \(CQ^*\)-algebras, which are a particular subclass of Banach quasi \(^*\)-algebras. Starting with examples of commutative \(CQ^*\)-algebras, the authors move on to more general \(CQ^*\)-algebras and pseudo \(CQ^*\)-algebras. They provide different schemes for constructing \(CQ^*\)-algebras starting from a \(^*\)-algebra or from families of sesquilinear forms. The connections between \(CQ^*\)-algebras and (left) Hilbert algebras or von Neumann algebras are given at the end of the chapter. Chapter six arrives at the topic mentioned in the title of the book: locally convex quasi \(^*\)-algebras. By defining the positive elements, the order structure is defined on a locally convex quasi \(^*\)-algebra. This allows one to study the order bounded elements. In the last part of the chapter, the partial multiplication is introduced on fully representable locally convex quasi \(^*\)-algebras. In the last chapter, properties of locally convex quasi \(C^*\)-algebras are studied. These algebras are studied separately in the commutative case and in the noncommutative case, arriving finally at the representation theorems. Appendix A deals with \(^*\)-algebras, mainly in the normed or semi-normed case, and their representations. Appendix B is dedicated to the properties of operators in Hilbert spaces.