We prove that every locally compact second countable group G arises as the outer automorphism group $\operatorname{Out} M$ of a II1 factor, which was so far only known for totally disconnected groups, compact groups, and a few isolated examples. We obtain this result by proving that every locally compact second countable group is a centralizer group, a class of Polish groups that arise naturally in ergodic theory and that may all be realized as $\operatorname{Out} M$.

Let M be a von Neumann algebra, let $\varphi $ be a normal faithful state on M and let $L^p(M,\varphi )$ be the associated Haagerup noncommutative $L^p$-spaces, for $1\leq p\leq \infty $. Let $D\in L^1(M,\varphi )$ be the density of $\varphi $. Given a positive map $T\colon M\to M$ such that $\varphi \circ T\leq C_1\varphi $ for some $C_1\geq 0$, we study the boundedness of the $L^p$-extension $T_{p,\theta }\colon D^{\frac {1-\theta }{p}} MD^{\frac {\theta }{p}}\to L^p(M,\varphi )$ which maps $D^{\frac {1-\theta }{p}} x D^{\frac {\theta }{p}}$ to $D^{\frac {1-\theta }{p}} T(x) D^{\frac {\theta }{p}}$ for all $x\in M$. Haagerup–Junge–Xu showed that $T_{p,{\frac {1}{2}}}$ is always bounded and left open the question whether $T_{p,\theta }$ is bounded for $\theta \not ={\frac {1}{2}}$. We show that for any $1\leq p<2$ and any $\theta \in [0, 2^{-1}(1-\sqrt {p-1})]\cup [2^{-1}(1+\sqrt {p-1}), 1]$, there exists a completely positive T such that $T_{p,\theta }$ is unbounded. We also show that if T is $2$-positive, then $T_{p,\theta }$ is bounded provided that $p\geq 2$ or $1\leq p<2$ and $\theta \in [1-p/2,p/2]$.

A Schur multiplier is a linear map on matrices which acts on its entries by multiplication with some function, called the symbol. We consider idempotent Schur multipliers, whose symbols are indicator functions of smooth Euclidean domains. Given $1<p\neq 2<\infty $, we provide a local characterization (under some mild transversality condition) for the boundedness on Schatten p-classes of Schur idempotents in terms of a lax notion of boundary flatness. We prove in particular that all Schur idempotents are modeled on a single fundamental example: the triangular projection. As an application, we fully characterize the local $L_p$-boundedness of smooth Fourier idempotents on connected Lie groups. They are all modeled on one of three fundamental examples: the classical Hilbert transform and two new examples of Hilbert transforms that we call affine and projective. Our results in this paper are vast noncommutative generalizations of Fefferman’s celebrated ball multiplier theorem. They confirm the intuition that Schur multipliers share profound similarities with Euclidean Fourier multipliers – even in the lack of a Fourier transform connection – and complete, for Lie groups, a longstanding search of Fourier $L_p$-idempotents.

We write arbitrary separable nuclear $\mathrm {C}^*$-algebras as limits of inductive systems of finite-dimensional $\mathrm {C}^*$-algebras with completely positive connecting maps. The characteristic feature of such ${\mathrm {CPC}^*}$-systems is that the maps become more and more orthogonality preserving. This condition makes it possible to equip the limit, a priori only an operator space, with a multiplication turning it into a $\mathrm {C}^*$-algebra. Our concept generalizes the NF systems of Blackadar and Kirchberg beyond the quasidiagonal case.

The concept of stability has proved very useful in the field of Banach space geometry. In this note, we introduce and study a corresponding concept in the setting of Banach algebras, which we call multiplicative stability. As we shall prove, various interesting examples of Banach algebras are multiplicatively unstable, and hence unstable in the model-theoretic sense. The examples include Fourier algebras over noncompact amenable groups, $C^*$-algebras and the measure algebra of an infinite compact group.

We compute the large size limit of the moment formula derived in [14] for the Hermitian Jacobi process at fixed time. Our computations rely on the polynomial division algorithm which allows to obtain cancellations similar to those obtained in [3, Lemma 3]. In particular, we identify the terms contributing to the limit and show they satisfy a double recurrence relation. We also determine explicitly some of them and revisit a special case relying on Carlitz summation identity for terminating $1$-balanced ${}_4F_3$ functions taken at unity.

Starting from a uniquely ergodic action of a locally compact group G on a compact space $X_0$, we consider non-commutative skew-product extensions of the dynamics, on the crossed product $C(X_0)\rtimes _\alpha {\mathbb Z}$, through a $1$-cocycle of G in ${\mathbb T}$, with $\alpha $ commuting with the given dynamics. We first prove that any two such skew-product extensions are conjugate if and only if the corresponding cocycles are cohomologous. We then study unique ergodicity and unique ergodicity with respect to the fixed-point subalgebra by characterizing both in terms of the cocycle assigning the dynamics. The set of all invariant states is also determined: it is affinely homeomorphic with ${\mathcal P}({\mathbb T})$, the Borel probability measures on the one-dimensional torus ${\mathbb T}$, as long as the system is not uniquely ergodic. Finally, we show that unique ergodicity with respect to the fixed-point subalgebra of a skew-product extension amounts to the uniqueness of an invariant conditional expectation onto the fixed-point subalgebra.

Jones [‘Two subfactors and the algebraic decomposition of bimodules over $II_1$ factors’, Acta Math. Vietnam 33(3) (2008), 209–218] proposed the study of ‘two subfactors’ of a $II_1$ factor as a quantization of two closed subspaces in a Hilbert space. Motivated by this, we initiate a systematic study of a special class of two subfactors, namely a pair of spin model subfactors. We characterize which pairs of distinct complex Hadamard matrices in $M_n(\mathbb {C})$ give rise to distinct spin model subfactors. Then, a detailed investigation is carried out for $n=2$, where the spin model subfactors correspond to $\mathbb {Z}_2$-actions on the hyperfinite type $II_1$ factor R. We observe that the intersection of the pair of spin model subfactors in this case is a nonirreducible vertex model subfactor and we characterize it as a diagonal subfactor. A few key invariants for the pair of spin model subfactors are computed to understand their relative positions.

We prove that a C$^*$-algebra A has uniform property $\Gamma $ if the set of extremal tracial states, $\partial _e T(A)$, is a non-empty compact space of finite covering dimension and for each $\tau \in \partial _e T(A)$, the von Neumann algebra $\pi _\tau (A)"$ arising from the GNS representation has property $\Gamma $.

Inspired by work of Szymik and Wahl on the homology of Higman–Thompson groups, we establish a general connection between ample groupoids, topological full groups, algebraic K-theory spectra and infinite loop spaces, based on the construction of small permutative categories of compact open bisections. This allows us to analyse homological invariants of topological full groups in terms of homology for ample groupoids.

Applications include complete rational computations, general vanishing and acyclicity results for group homology of topological full groups as well as a proof of Matui’s AH-conjecture for all minimal, ample groupoids with comparison.

We investigate the structure of circle actions with the Rokhlin property, particularly in relation to equivariant $KK$-theory. Our main results are $\mathbb {T}$-equivariant versions of celebrated results of Kirchberg: any Rokhlin action on a separable, nuclear C*-algebra is $KK^{\mathbb {T}}$-equivalent to a Rokhlin action on a Kirchberg algebra; and two circle actions with the Rokhlin property on a Kirchberg algebra are conjugate if and only if they are $KK^{\mathbb {T}}$-equivalent.

In the presence of the Universal Coefficient Theorem (UCT), $KK^{\mathbb {T}}$-equivalence for Rokhlin actions reduces to isomorphism of a K-theoretical invariant, namely of a canonical pure extension naturally associated with any Rokhlin action, and we provide a complete description of the extensions that arise from actions on nuclear $C^*$-algebras. In contrast with the non-equivariant setting, we exhibit an example showing that an isomorphism between the $K^{\mathbb {T}}$-theories of Rokhlin actions on Kirchberg algebras does not necessarily lift to a $KK^{\mathbb {T}}$-equivalence; this is the first example of its kind, even in the absence of the Rokhlin property.

Let $\varphi$ be a normal semifinite faithful weight on a von Neumann algebra $A$, let $(\sigma ^\varphi _r)_{r\in {\mathbb R}}$ denote the modular automorphism group of $\varphi$, and let $T\colon A\to A$ be a linear map. We say that $T$ admits an absolute dilation if there exists another von Neumann algebra $M$ equipped with a normal semifinite faithful weight $\psi$, a $w^*$-continuous, unital and weight-preserving $*$-homomorphism $J\colon A\to M$ such that $\sigma ^\psi \circ J=J\circ \sigma ^\varphi$, as well as a weight-preserving $*$-automorphism $U\colon M\to M$ such that $T^k={\mathbb {E}}_JU^kJ$ for all integer $k\geq 0$, where $ {\mathbb {E}}_J\colon M\to A$ is the conditional expectation associated with $J$. Given any locally compact group $G$ and any real valued function $u\in C_b(G)$, we prove that if $u$ induces a unital completely positive Fourier multiplier $M_u\colon VN(G) \to VN(G)$, then $M_u$ admits an absolute dilation. Here, $VN(G)$ is equipped with its Plancherel weight $\varphi _G$. This result had been settled by the first named author in the case when $G$ is unimodular so the salient point in this paper is that $G$ may be nonunimodular, and hence, $\varphi _G$ may not be a trace. The absolute dilation of $M_u$ implies that for any $1\lt p\lt \infty$, the $L^p$-realization of $M_u$ can be dilated into an isometry acting on a noncommutative $L^p$-space. We further prove that if $u$ is valued in $[0,1]$, then the $L^p$-realization of $M_u$ is a Ritt operator with a bounded $H^\infty$-functional calculus.

In this article, it is shown that the lattice of C$^*$-covers of an operator algebra does not contain enough information to distinguish operator algebras up to completely isometric isomorphism. In addition, four natural equivalences of the lattice of C$^*$-covers are developed and proven to be distinct. The lattice of C$^*$-covers of direct sums and tensor products are studied. Along the way key examples are found of operator algebras, each of which generates exactly n C$^*$-algebras up to $*$-isomorphism, and a simple operator algebra that is not similar to a C$^*$-algebra.

Given a full right-Hilbert $\mathrm {C}^{*}$-module $\mathbf {X}$ over a $\mathrm {C}^{*}$-algebra A, the set $\mathbb {K}_{A}(\mathbf {X})$ of A-compact operators on $\mathbf {X}$ is the (up to isomorphism) unique $\mathrm {C}^{*}$-algebra that is strongly Morita equivalent to the coefficient algebra A via $\mathbf {X}$. As a bimodule, $\mathbb {K}_{A}(\mathbf {X})$ can also be thought of as the balanced tensor product $\mathbf {X}\otimes _{A} \mathbf {X}^{\mathrm {op}}$, and so the latter naturally becomes a $\mathrm {C}^{*}$-algebra. We generalize both of these facts to the world of Fell bundles over groupoids: Suppose $\mathscr {B}$ is a Fell bundle over a groupoid $\mathcal {H}$ and $\mathscr {M}$ is an upper semi-continuous Banach bundle over a principal $\mathcal {H}$-space X. If $\mathscr {M}$ carries a right-action of $\mathscr {B}$ and a sufficiently nice $\mathscr {B}$-valued inner product, then its imprimitivity Fell bundle $\mathbb {K}_{\mathscr {B}}(\mathscr {M})=\mathscr {M}\otimes _{\mathscr {B}} \mathscr {M}^{\mathrm {op}}$ is a Fell bundle over the imprimitivity groupoid of X, and it is the unique Fell bundle that is equivalent to $\mathscr {B}$ via $\mathscr {M}$. We show that $\mathbb {K}_{\mathscr {B}}(\mathscr {M})$ generalizes the “higher order” compact operators of Abadie–Ferraro in the case of saturated bundles over groups, and that the theorem recovers results such as Kumjian’s Stabilization trick.

In Dong et al. (2022, Journal of Operator Theory 88, 365–406), the authors addressed the question of whether surjective maps preserving the norm of a symmetric Kubo-Ando mean can be extended to Jordan $\ast $-isomorphisms. The question was affirmatively answered for surjective maps between the positive definite cones of unital $C^{*}$-algebras for certain specific classes of symmetric Kubo-Ando means. Here, we give a comprehensive answer to this question for surjective maps between the positive definite cones of $AW^{*}$-algebras preserving the norm of any symmetric Kubo-Ando mean.

This paper considers the large N limit of Wilson loops for the two-dimensional Euclidean Yang–Mills measure on all orientable compact surfaces of genus larger or equal to $1$, with a structure group given by a classical compact matrix Lie group. Our main theorem shows the convergence of all Wilson loops in probability, given that it holds true on a restricted class of loops, obtained as a modification of geodesic paths. Combined with the result of [20], a corollary is the convergence of all Wilson loops on the torus. Unlike the sphere case, we show that the limiting object is remarkably expressed thanks to the master field on the plane defined in [3, 39], and we conjecture that this phenomenon is also valid for all surfaces of higher genus. We prove that this conjecture holds true whenever it does for the restricted class of loops of the main theorem. Our result on the torus justifies the introduction of an interpolation between free and classical convolution of probability measures, defined with the free unitary Brownian motion but differing from t-freeness of [5] that was defined in terms of the liberation process of Voiculescu [67]. In contrast to [20], our main tool is a fine use of Makeenko–Migdal equations, proving uniqueness of their solution under suitable assumptions, and generalising the arguments of [21, 33].

Given a unital $C^*$-algebra and a faithful trace, we prove that the topology on the associated density space induced by the $C^*$-norm is finer than the Bures metric topology. We also provide an example when this containment is strict. Next, we provide a metric on the density space induced by a quantum metric in the sense of Rieffel and prove that the induced topology is the same as the topology induced by the Bures metric and $C^*$-norm when the $C^*$-algebra is assumed to be finite dimensional. Finally, we provide an example where the Bures metric and induced quantum metric are not metric equivalent. Thus, we provide a bridge between these aspects of quantum information theory and noncommutative metric geometry.

Let G be a compact group, let $\mathcal {B}$ be a unital C$^*$-algebra, and let $(\mathcal {A},G,\alpha )$ be a free C$^*$-dynamical system, in the sense of Ellwood, with fixed point algebra $\mathcal {B}$. We prove that $(\mathcal {A},G,\alpha )$ can be realized as the G-continuous part of the invariants of an equivariant coaction of G on a corner of $\mathcal {B} \otimes {\mathcal {K}}({\mathfrak {H}})$ for a certain Hilbert space ${\mathfrak {H}}$ that arises from the freeness of the action. This extends a result by Wassermann for free and ergodic C$^*$-dynamical systems. As an application, we show that any faithful $^*$-representation of $\mathcal {B}$ on a Hilbert space ${\mathfrak {H}}_{\mathcal {B}}$ gives rise to a faithful covariant representation of $(\mathcal {A},G,\alpha )$ on some truncation of ${\mathfrak {H}}_{\mathcal {B}} \otimes {\mathfrak {H}}$.

Let R be a ring and let $n\ge 2$. We discuss the question of whether every element in the matrix ring $M_n(R)$ is a product of (additive) commutators $[x,y]=xy-yx$, for $x,y\in M_n(R)$. An example showing that this does not always hold, even when R is commutative, is provided. If, however, R has Bass stable rank one, then under various additional conditions every element in $M_n(R)$ is a product of three commutators. Further, if R is a division ring with infinite center, then every element in $M_n(R)$ is a product of two commutators. If R is a field and $a\in M_n(R)$, then every element in $M_n(R)$ is a sum of elements of the form $[a,x][a,y]$ with $x,y\in M_n(R)$ if and only if the degree of the minimal polynomial of a is greater than $2$.

Consider a possibly unsaturated Fell bundle $\mathcal {A}\to G$ over a locally compact, possibly non-Hausdorff, groupoid G. We list four notions of continuity of representations of $\mathit {C_c}(G;\mathcal {A})$ on a Hilbert space and prove their equivalence. This allows us to define the full $\mathit {C}^*$-algebra of the Fell bundle in different ways.