English

A three-functor formalism for commutative von Neumann algebras

Operator Algebras 2025-04-15 v1 Category Theory Quantum Algebra

Abstract

A three-functor formalism is the half of a six-functor formalism that supports the projection and base change formulas. In this paper, we provide a three-functor formalism for commutative von Neumann algebras and their modules. Using the Gelfand-Naimark theorem, this gives rise to a three-functor formalism for measure spaces and measurable bundles of Hilbert spaces. We use this to prove Fell absorption for unitary representations of measure groupoids. The three-functor formalism for commutative von Neumann algebras takes values in W*-categories, and we discuss in what sense it is a unitary three-functor formalism.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2504.10131,
  title  = {A three-functor formalism for commutative von Neumann algebras},
  author = {Andre G. Henriques and Thomas A. Wasserman},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.10131},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

25 pages. Comments welcome!