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Rank constrained homotopies of matrices and the Blackadar-Handelman conjectures on C*-algebras

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Rank constrained homotopies of matrices:</p> <p>For any <em>n ≥ k ≥ l</em> ∈ N, let <em>S</em>(<em> n,k,l</em>) be the set of all non-negative definite matrices <em>a</em> ∈ <em>Mn</em>(C) with <em>l</em> ≤ rank <em>a ≤ k</em>. We investigate homotopy equivalence of continuous maps from a compact Hausdorff space <em>X</em> into sets of the form <em>S</em>(<em>n,k,l</em>). From [37] it is known that for any <em>n</em>, if 4<em>dim X</em> ≤ <em>k-l</em> where <em>dim X</em> denote the covering dimension of <em>X</em>, then there is exactly one homotopy class of maps from <em>X</em> into <em>S</em>(<em>n,k,l</em>). In Section 3.1 we improve this bound by a factor of 8 by confirming <em>C</em>(<em>X,S</em>(<em> n,k,l</em>)) to have exactly one homotopy class of maps when [floor bracket] (<em>dim X</em>/2[end floor bracket] ≤ <em>k - l</em>.) This in particular means π<em>r</em>(<em>S</em>(<em> n,k,l</em>))=0</p> <p>Blackadar-Handelman conjectures on <em>C</em>*-algebras:</p> <p>Let <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) denote the set of all dimension functions on a <em>C</em>*-algebra <em>A</em> and let <em>LDF</em>(<em>A</em>) be the set of all <em>s</em> ∈ <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) which are lower semicontinuous. It is well known that <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) is naturally identified with the state space of the Cuntz semigroup <em>W</em>(<em>A</em>). From [6], <em>LDF</em>(<em>A</em>) bijectively corresponds to the space of all normalized quasitraces <em>QT</em>(<em>A</em>) through a continuous affine map. [6] conjectures <em>LDF</em>(<em> A</em>) to be pointwise dense in <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) and <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) to be a Choquet simplex.</p> <p>In Theorem 5.1.1 we provide an equivalent condition for the first of these conjectures for unital <em>A</em>. Applying this condition we confirm the first conjecture for all unital <em>A</em> for which either the radius of comparison is finite or the semigroup <em>W</em>(<em> A</em>) is almost unperforated (Theorem 5.2.5). for every $r\leq 2(k-l)+1$. Our results are achieved through applications of the techniques developed in [8] and [33]. If <em>LDF</em>(<em>A</em>) is dense in <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) for an unital <em>A</em> that has only finitely many extreme points in <em>QT</em>(<em>A</em>), through a simple application of Krein-Milman Theorem we note that <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>)=<em>LDF</em>(<em>A</em>) and that <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) is affinely homeomorphic to <em>QT</em>(<em>A</em>). Together with results on the first conjecture this confirms the second conjecture for a new class of <em>C</em>*-algebras.</p> <p>Possibility of extending these results to inductive limits remain an open question.</p> <p>In general the second conjecture is true for any unital <em>A</em> for which (ordered) Grothendieck group <em>K</em>0(<em> A</em>) of <em>W</em>(<em>A</em>) has Riesz interpolation property [15] and every known confirmation of the second conjecture is achieved by showing Riesz interpolation hold for <em>K</em>0(<em> A</em>) [1,9,29]. We consider a <em>stably approximate</em> version of interpolation that is weaker than the classical Riesz interpolation. In fact it is easily seen that this property is even weaker than the <em>asymptotic interpolation</em> property considered in [28]. In Corollary 6.4.3 we confirm <em>DF</em>(<em>A</em>) to be a Choquet simplex for any unital <em>A</em> for which <em>W</em>(<em>A</em>) satisfies this weaker notion of interpolation.</p> <p>While Corollary 6.4.3 has the scope of confirming the second conjecture for a broader class of <em>C</em>*-algebras, finding a `good' class of <em>C</em>*-algebras in which <em>W</em>(<em>A</em>) exhibits stably approximate interpolation but does not satisfy Riesz interpolation remains open.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mathematics
Year
2016

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Silva, Kaushika De
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Andrew S. Toms
  • Lawrence G. Brown
  • Marius Dadarlat
  • David B. McReynolds

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:docs.lib.purdue.edu:open_access_dissertations-1751

Chain of custody

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Purdue University
Base URL
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Last updated
2026-07-24
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citation

Silva, Kaushika De. Rank constrained homotopies of matrices and the Blackadar-Handelman conjectures on C*-algebras. Thesis thesis, 2016. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/639