Operator Algebras And Operator Theory

Mathematics for infinite dimensional objects is becoming more and more important today both in theory and application. Rings of operators, renamed von Neumann algebras by J. Dixmier, were first introduced by J. von Neumann fifty years ago, 1929, in [254] with his grand aim of giving a sound founda tion to mathematical sciences of infinite nature. J. von Neumann and his collaborator F. J. Murray laid down the foundation for this new field of mathematics, operator algebras, in a series of papers, [240], [241], [242], [257] and [259], during the period of the 1930s and early in the 1940s. In the introduction to this series of investigations, they stated Their solution 1 {to the problems of understanding rings of operators) seems to be essential for the further advance of abstract operator theory in Hilbert space under several aspects. First, the formal calculus with operator-rings leads to them. Second, our attempts to generalize the theory of unitary group-representations essentially beyond their classical frame have always been blocked by the unsolved questions connected with these problems. Third, various aspects of the quantum mechanical formalism suggest strongly the elucidation of this subject. Fourth, the knowledge obtained in these investigations gives an approach to a class of abstract algebras without a finite basis, which seems to differ essentially from all types hitherto investigated. Since then there has appeared a large volume of literature, and a great deal of progress has been achieved by many mathematicians.

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the general theory of C*-algebras and von Neumann algebras. Beginning with the basics, the theory is developed through such topics as tensor products, nuclearity and exactness, crossed products, K-theory, and quasidiagonality. The presentation carefully and precisely explains the main features of each part of the theory of operator algebras; most important arguments are at least outlined and many are presented in full detail.

This book constitutes a first- or second-year graduate course in operator theory. It is a field that has great importance for other areas of mathematics and physics, such as algebraic topology, differential geometry, and quantum mechanics. It assumes a basic knowledge in functional analysis but no prior acquaintance with operator theory is required.

This book consists of invited survey articles and research papers in the scientific areas of the “International Workshop on Operator Algebras, Operator Theory and Applications,” which was held in Lisbon in July 2016. Reflecting recent developments in the field of algebras of operators, operator theory and matrix theory, it particularly focuses on groupoid algebras and Fredholm conditions, algebras of approximation sequences, C* algebras of convolution type operators, index theorems, spectrum and numerical range of operators, extreme supercharacters of infinite groups, quantum dynamics and operator algebras, and inverse eigenvalue problems. Establishing bridges between the three related areas of operator algebras, operator theory, and matrix theory, the book is aimed at researchers and graduate students who use results from these areas.

*-algebras of unbounded operators in Hilbert space, or more generally algebraic systems of unbounded operators, occur in a natural way in unitary representation theory of Lie groups and in the Wightman formulation of quantum field theory. In representation theory they appear as the images of the associated representations of the Lie algebras or of the enveloping algebras on the Garding domain and in quantum field theory they occur as the vector space of field operators or the *-algebra generated by them. Some of the basic tools for the general theory were first introduced and used in these fields. For instance, the notion of the weak (bounded) commutant which plays a fundamental role in thegeneraltheory had already appeared in quantum field theory early in the six ties. Nevertheless, a systematic study of unbounded operator algebras began only at the beginning of the seventies. It was initiated by (in alphabetic order) BORCHERS, LASSNER, POWERS, UHLMANN and VASILIEV. J1'rom the very beginning, and still today, represen tation theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras and quantum field theory have been primary sources of motivation and also of examples. However, the general theory of unbounded operator algebras has also had points of contact with several other disciplines. In particu lar, the theory of locally convex spaces, the theory of von Neumann algebras, distri bution theory, single operator theory, the momcnt problem and its non-commutative generalizations and noncommutative probability theory, all have interacted with our subject.

K -Theory has revolutionized the study of operator algebras in the last few years. As the primary component of the subject of "noncommutative topol ogy," K -theory has opened vast new vistas within the structure theory of C* algebras, as well as leading to profound and unexpected applications of opera tor algebras to problems in geometry and topology. As a result, many topolo gists and operator algebraists have feverishly begun trying to learn each others' subjects, and it appears certain that these two branches of mathematics have become deeply and permanently intertwined. Despite the fact that the whole subject is only about a decade old, operator K -theory has now reached a state of relative stability. While there will undoubtedly be many more revolutionary developments and applications in the future, it appears the basic theory has more or less reached a "final form." But because of the newness of the theory, there has so far been no comprehensive treatment of the subject. It is the ambitious goal of these notes to fill this gap. We will develop the K -theory of Banach algebras, the theory of extensions of C*-algebras, and the operator K -theory of Kasparov from scratch to its most advanced aspects. We will not treat applications in detail; however, we will outline the most striking of the applications to date in a section at the end, as well as mentioning others at suitable points in the text.

This book offers a presentation of some new trends in operator theory and operator algebras, with a view to their applications. It consists of separate papers written by some of the leading practitioners in the field. The content is put together by the three editors in a way that should help students and working mathematicians in other parts of the mathematical sciences gain insight into an important part of modern mathematics and its applications. While different specialist authors are outlining new results in this book, the presentations have been made user friendly with the aid of tutorial material. In fact, each paper contains three things: a friendly introduction with motivation, tutorial material, and new research. The authors have strived to make their results relevant to the rest of mathematics. A list of topics discussed in the book includes wavelets, frames and their applications, quantum dynamics, multivariable operator theory, $C*$-algebras, and von Neumann algebras. Some longer papers present recent advances on particular, long-standing problems such as extensions and dilations, the Kadison-Singer conjecture, and diagonals of self-adjoint operators.

This volume is the companion volume to Fundamentals of the Theory of Operator Algebras. Volume I--Elementary Theory (Graduate Studies in Mathematics series, Volume 15). The goal of the text proper is to teach the subject and lead readers to where the vast literature--in the subject specifically and in its many applications--becomes accessible. The choice of material was made from among the fundamentals of what may be called the "classical" theory of operator algebras. This volume contains the written solutions to the exercises in the Fundamentals of the Theory of Operator Algebras. Volume I--Elementary Theory.